NEW JERSEY — At its Nov. 30 meeting, the New Jersey Council of Watershed Associations (NJCWA) unanimously approved a Resolution and Letter demanding that Governor Chris Christie and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) immediately release a long overdue update to the 20-year-old New Jersey Water Supply Master Plan.
The NJCWA, a coalition of nonprofit watershed groups from across the state, is adding its voice to the State Legislature, the New Jersey Water Supply Advisory Council and thousands of other New Jersey citizens who want the Governor of New Jersey to do his job to protect and preserve the water supply of the state by immediately releasing an updated Water Supply Plan.
Since 1996, governors of New Jersey including Governor Christie have completely ignored the legislative mandate that requires NJDEP to plan for current and future water supply availability and water quality across the state.
An updated Water Supply Master Plan is essential to ensure a safe and sustainable water supply to present and future residents of New Jersey, to address the critical importance of informed responses to droughts, to ensure the preservation of the stream and wetland organisms dependent upon adequate stream flow, and to succeed in preserving and balancing available water supplies to avert more serious water shortages in the future.
Therefore, the New Jersey Council of Watershed Associations demands that the Governor’s office and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection immediately release for public review and comment the long overdue draft update of the Water-Supply Master Plan.
About the New Jersey Council of Watershed Associations:
The New Jersey Council of Watershed Associations represents the unified voice of watershed groups across the state. The council provides a forum for the watershed community and promotes sound policies related to water quality, water quantity and overall watershed health. Member organizations are:
Bergen SWAN
Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and its Tributaries
Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed
Cohansey Area Watershed Association
Great Egg Harbor Watershed Association
Great Swamp Watershed Association
Hackensack Riverkeeper
Lake Hopatcong Foundation
Lawrence Brook Watershed Partnership
Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership
Musconetcong Watershed Association
NY/NJ Baykeeper
Newton Creek Watershed Association
Rahway River Watershed Association
Raritan Headwaters
Save Barnegat Bay
Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association
Whale Pond Brook Watershed Association
Whippany River Watershed Action Committee
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