FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Alliance for a Living Ocean Statement on the Land Use Board Application for Beck Avenue/Rosemma Wetlands Area January 12, 2015 “The mission of the Alliance for a Living Ocean is to maintain and protect clean water and a healthy coastal environment.” Based on the Wetlands Act of 1970, the land between Beck Avenue and Rosemma Avenue, in the Holgate section of Long Beach Township, NJ is still currently designated as wetlands. For that reason we believe that Mr. Davies intentions are respectable, but as an organization that represents many who have charged us with the task of protecting the ecosystem services and environmental integrity of this island we call home, we cannot support the application because it does not legally assure any protection to the wetlands in question. Wetlands of this nature provide innumerable opportunities for habitat to birds, fish, reptiles, insects, and plants. One only needs to look at nearby Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge to see just how valuable similar habitat can be. 290 species of birds have been indentified at the refuge with a number of those threatened or endangered. (NPWRC, 2013) Wetlands are well documented as a nursery for wildlife of all kinds. Diamondback terrapins, another highly watched species utilize areas like this for nesting. This ecological service of habitat is clear and just one of the many reasons to support preservation of this area. The value of ecological services provided by wetlands to the greater system of the Barnegat Bay can actually be quantified thanks to the 2012 study, “Economic Value of the Barnegat Bay Watershed.” The overall economic value of the Barnegat Bay is figured to be well over 4 billion dollars. Public land, which this specific area of wetlands has the chance to become under preservation, contributes an estimated 1.77 billion dollars to those 4+ billion dollars simply through that role. (Kauffman/Cruz-Ortiz, 2012) The value of this land is apparent both in dollars and intrinsic measurements. This value is so apparent that wetlands affected by over wash sand, specifically due to Hurricane Sandy, are the concentration of United States Geological Survey research. The study titled Hurricane Sandy Response - Barrier Island and Estuarine Wetland Physical Change Assessment looks, “…to provide a complete picture of the post-storm barrier landscape that will help us to understand the potential vulnerability to future storms and also to inform decisions on recovery and rebuilding.” (Plant, 2014) It is clear, areas such as the one in question are not fully understood and it would be hasty and potentially dangerous to allow development in such an area. Regardless of numbers, facts and figures, one must still note that despite potential approval of this application by the Long Beach Township Land Use Board, development of much of the 6.9 acres will still be off limits due to wetlands designation. Only those 2.2 acres, which the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has still not rendered a decision on, could even be considered. It would be responsible for the members of the Land Use Board to deny such a request given the current wetlands designation and lack of a decision from the NJDEP. It is for these reasons above that Alliance for a Living Ocean cannot support the current Land Use Board Application as presented. To voice your support or opposition we urge you to attend the Land Use Board Meeting. The meeting will take place on: January 14, 2015 at 7PM James J. Mancini Administration Building 2nd Floor Multi-purpose Room 6805 Long Beach Boulevard Brant Beach, NJ *The views and opinions expressed above are solely those of the Alliance for a Living Ocean as voted upon by the board members of the organization. National Prairie Wildlife Research Center (NPWRC) (2013, February 1). Bird Checklists of the United States. Retrieved January 12, 2015, from npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/chekbird/r5/forsythe.htm Kauffman, G., & Cruz-Ortiz, C. (2012). Economic Value of the Barnegat Bay Watershed. 13-13. Retrieved January 12, 2015, from ipa.udel.edu/publications/BarnegatBay_report.pdf Plant, N. (2014, August 13). Hurricane Sandy Response - Barrier Island and Estuarine Wetland Physical Change Assessment. Retrieved January 12, 2015, from coastal.er.usgs.gov/sandy-wetland-assessment/overview.html
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 22:36:15 +0000
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