Bill to Highlight NJ Landowners Who Strive to Preserve a Clean Environment Advances

TRENTON — Legislation sponsored by Assemblymen Eric Houghtaling, Bob Andrzejczak and Adam Taliaferro to recognize environmental protection efforts by establishing a New Jersey Landowner of the Year award program was advanced Thurs. by an Assembly panel.
“Landowners who care for the environment in a responsible way protect and restore critical landscapes while furthering other environmental benefits such as cleaner water and air and healthier soil,” said Houghtaling (D-Monmouth). “Wildlife and habitat preservation practices can also help reverse the decline of endangered species and benefit other species with similar habitat needs. That’s why it’s important to recognize the efforts of landowners who protect wildlife and habitat and to promote these practices across New Jersey.”
The bill (A-3787) would require the Department of Agriculture, in coordination with any agricultural organization as determined appropriate by the department, to establish and promote an award program to be known as the New Jersey Landowner of the Year award program.
“The program would annually recognize a landowner who has demonstrated an outstanding record of improving, enhancing, and preserving wildlife populations and habitat on the landowner’s property,” said Andrzejczak (D-Cape May/Cumberland/Atlantic). “This would be a great way to highlight efforts to keep the Garden in the Garden State.”
“This is a small but important recognition we can give those who strive to preserve New Jersey’s great environmental heritage, which is so important to having a strong agricultural economy,” said Taliaferro (D-Gloucester/Cumberland/Salem). “Anything we can do to promote caring for the environment and boosting our economy is just plain common sense.”
The bill was released by the Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee chaired by Andrzejczak.