Cape May County making excuses on Green Acres funding

Written by Opinion Friday, 02 December 2011 13:52

To the editor:

More and more Cape May County municipalities are agreeing that it is past time for the county to seek matching funds through the state Green Acres Program. Over the last few weeks, six local towns have passed resolutions requesting the county submit an application to Green Acres. These towns have come to realize that over the past two decades, the county has neglected to take advantage of nearly $20 million in state funds that could have been used to significantly boost money generated through the county open space program; and they agree that should change.

The final round of funding from the 2009 Green Acres Bond Act was recently announced giving local governments until the end of January to get their applications in. Despite the fact this may be the last opportunity for Cape May County, as well as other New Jersey counties and towns, to take advantage of this funding until a new funding source is approved at the ballot-box, Cape May County continues to offer only excuses while 19 other counties are sending in their applications.

A simple application could bring up to $1 million dollars into the county for any number of locally supported projects. These funds could be used to acquire new, redevelop or enhance existing lands for recreation and conservation purposes, including playgrounds, hiking areas, athletic fields and recreation facilities, boating and fishing areas, and historic properties. For example, Essex County has received in excess of $100 million in Green Acres grants over the past nine years by working with state and non-profit funding partners to enhance the historic Essex County Park System with athletic fields and courts, playgrounds, gardens and parking areas.

The county’s excuse for repeatedly passing up millions in matching state funds has been that “unrestricted county lands could later become restricted by Green Acres regulations.” These arguments are unfounded. Any new conservation lands purchased by the county would have used dedicated open space funds, which Cape May County residents approved 2-1 in 1989 by establishing a trust to preserve open space and farmland.  Shouldn’t county residents expect these lands to be preserved in perpetuity?

The county’s reasoning doesn’t add up. The real problem is not Green Acres; they stand ready to work with and assist the county, and routinely invite them to apply for state funding. The problem is that the county Freeholder Board’s failure to take advantage of these funds appears to favor development over conservation. If the remaining open spaces of the county are not protected, they will surely be paved over.

The county open space program begs for greater public scrutiny and involvement from all the towns and residents within the county which this program is intended to benefit. Unless the county’s intentions are to develop land purchased with dedicated, voter-approved open space tax dollars, there is simply no reason why they shouldn’t apply to Green Acres.

Additionally, given that a 2006 report by the Atlantic Cape Community College found that eco-tourism already plows $522 million back into the county’s towns annually, there’s every reason why they should since open space is clearly a major economic driver, which available state funds could be used to grow.

It’s time for the county to stop making excuses and start doing the work that its towns and residents have voted to support. For more information, see www.littoralsociety.org.

Jessica L. Daher

Delaware Bayshore Program, Conservation Coordinator

American Littoral Society