Bill to Keep Parks/Beaches Open During Shutdown Released from Committee

Today the Senate Environment and Energy Committee released S3430 (Scutari)/A5128 (McKeon), which would keep state parks and beaches open for a week after a government shutdown. Our state parks are some of the most heavily used in the country. On regular summer weekends, most swimming and picnic areas are closed by 10 am because they’re already filled. This bill passed the Assembly in July.  Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, released the following statement:

“It’s important that the Senate is following the Assembly by advancing this bill. What was more shameful than the Governor sitting on the beach during an unnecessary government shutdown, was that millions of people in NJ couldn’t go to these state parks and beaches. The Governor held these areas hostage and we need this bill to make sure it doesn’t happen again. He did it as part of his revenge on the people of New Jersey who find him the worst and most unpopular governor in state history. Christie is acting to his personal agenda and there will be serious consequences to the state’s people, environment, and economy.

“In New Jersey, our state parks and beaches are important for our economy and our families. Most families don’t have beach houses or country clubs to go to and plan vacations visiting these sites. Their July 4^th vacations were ruined because of the shutdown. The closing of these parks is especially serious because New Jersey has a shortage of recreation space already. Our state parks and beaches were held hostage during the Governor shutdown, and it’s unfair to the people of New Jersey.

“Shutting down parks and beaches didn’t save the state government any money either. The staff wasn’t at home even though these places were closed. They were working making sure no one could get in to them. It also creates a tremendous amount of additional pressure on county and local parks that can’t handle it. No one benefits from closing the state parks and beaches, especially not during the July 4^th holiday.

“The Governor has taken money from funding parks for open space, with support from certain environmental groups. We’ve added hundreds of thousands of acres of open space without adequate money for capital repair or maintenance. There is over a $400 million backlog in capital repairs and needed improvement in our parks which are falling apart. We need this legislation to make sure that this won’t happen again and that people can enjoy the beaches and parks that belong to them even if the government fails to do their job.

“Most state recreation areas are filled by 10 am on weekends because there’s not enough space for everyone. There are only seven swimming areas for all 5.5 million people in North Jersey and we haven’t opened a new one since 1981 in Wawayanda. The Governor has a history of cutting park funding and giving it to programs for open space or “stewardship” that ends up logging forests. Under Governor Christie, DEP enforcement is down 60 percent, while our parks are falling apart. While DEP staff is down by 40 percent, the budget has been slashed by a third under the Christie Administration.

“Our state parks are some of the most heavily used in the country. The most used state park in the country is Liberty State Park. On regular summer weekends, most swimming and picnic areas are closed by 10 am because they’re already filled. Closing state parks and beaches means we lose dozens of swimming areas, campgrounds, historic sites and picnic areas for people to enjoy. Parks are just as vital as any other part of government, especially on the July 4th weekend.”

“During the July 4th weekend, Governor Christie shut down the state government, closing parks, beaches, and historic sites to the public. It was revenge on the people of NJ who find him the worst and most unpopular governor in state history. “In 2006 when there was a government shutdown, Governor Corzine didn’t shut down parks and beaches until after the July 4th holiday. Governor Christie closed them because he is vindictive. should never allow a Governor to hold our parks and beaches, or the people of New Jersey, hostage. We need this legislation to make sure that this won’t happen again and that people can enjoy the beaches and parks that belong to them. Even if the government fails to do their job, the people of New Jersey shouldn’t be punished.”