Congressman Kim Successful in Bipartisan Effort to Fill Vacancy on the New Jersey Pinelands Commission

Washington, DC – Today, Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) announced that Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland has filled the federal seat on the New Jersey Pinelands Commission, after Congressman Kim and Congressman Jeff Van Drew (NJ-02) led a bipartisan letter to the Secretary in May.

“I’m proud that the New Jersey delegation, in a bipartisan way, was able to successfully advocate for this appointment,” said Congressman Kim. “The New Jersey Pinelands are a national treasure and it’s important for New Jersey that we have a federally appointed member of the board to ensure the commission can continue to preserve and protect the natural beauty for generations to experience.”

The New Jersey Pinelands Commission was founded in 1979 by the State of New Jersey to protect the Pinelands following the establishment of the Pinelands National Reserve by Congress in 1978. By state law, the Pinelands Commission is a 15-member board that consists of seven members appointed by the New Jersey Governor, seven county representatives, and one federal representative appointed by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior.

The Pinelands National Reserve spans 1.1 million acres, covers 22 percent of New Jersey, and is home to 500,000 New Jersey residents, 850 species of plants, and 397 species of animals, including 43 threatened or endangered species. Additional information about the Pinelands National Reserve can be found by clicking here.

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