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Time to Oppose Governor Murphy’s “Farmland and Forest Destruction Act”

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Upper Saddle River  NJ, Republican candidate for Congress, Frank Pallotta, called on the Freeholder Boards of Bergen, Passaic, Sussex, and Warren Counties to pass resolutions opposing Governor Murphy and Senator Smith’s Farmland and Forest Destruction Act (S-2605). Pallotta asked incumbent Democrat Josh Gottheimer to stand up for the environment and join him in calling for bipartisan united opposition to replacing farmland and forests with solar power plants of 800 or more acres.

“It is beyond me how anyone with any consideration for New Jersey’s forests and farmland would support this plan, or even remain silent on it like Josh Gottheimer and his buddies have. Upon reading the agenda, it is more than evident that New Jersey’s Fifth District would be greatly affected, and our elected officials must step up to the plate to defend our residents. I am calling on every single Freeholder in NJ-05 to oppose the “Farmland and Forest Destruction Act”, and tell Gov. Murphy as well as Senator Bob Smith that tackling climate change cannot and will not take away from our precious farmland and forests.”

He continued: “I am running for Congress to represent every resident of my District and to protect the natural landscape that is their inheritance. I call on Josh Gottheimer to step up and join me in a bipartisan effort to oppose this dangerous legislation.”

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Pointing to a report in Wednesday’s Philadelphia Inquirer, Pallotta noted:

“Josh Gottheimer’s fellow New Jersey Democrats have introduced a new energy plan that will result in the permanent destruction of thousands of acres of farmland and forests. Taking his cue from Phil and Tammy Murphy, State Senator Bob Smith (D-17), the boss of the powerful Senate Environmental Committee, has introduced a new plan to install solar panels on farm and forest land across New Jersey. The Democrats’ plan restores taxpayer-supported subsidies to corporations and their hedge fund backers in order to make these solar projects economically profitable.

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Farmers, taxpayers, and environmental groups like the Sierra Club all oppose this plan.  Michelle Byers, Executive Director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, said the bill would toss a law that currently steers solar arrays toward brown fields, landfills, rooftops and parking lots.  Peter Furey, Executive Director of the New Jersey Farm Bureau, said the solar bill has the potential to change the landscape.

Furey told the Inquirer: ‘We don’t want energy interests coming in and dictating to local planning boards.  We don’t want it on prime agricultural land.’

If Josh Gottheimer is serious about his commitment to the environment, then he should immediately take a stand against this disastrous idea being pushed by his party and protect the taxpayers of the Fifth District from it.”

2 thoughts on “Time to Oppose Governor Murphy’s “Farmland and Forest Destruction Act”

  1. It is more of the same , either huge warehouse complexes swallowing up unblighted farmland getting re development blessings from Department of Community Affairs to pave over huge tracts of perfect crop growing farm land. Or solar panels , solar panels are better but not huge huge 800 acre complexes of them . We are NJ we have problems enough allowing natural ground water recharge to supply all the water we need. Cutting perfect good forests, critical environmentally sensitive areas, with Threatened and Endangered species is already being approved all over the state when will this corporate political taking end.

  2. To the state elected officials,
    Before you vote on the “Farmland and Forest Destruction Act” step back and review this thoroughly. It could be financially advantageous to you personally. Think however of the farmlands and forests that you will be permanently destroying. Solar energy is advantageous to all citizens but it can be placed in proper and strategic areas that will not impact farmlands and forests which are very important to all citizens of New Jersey.

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