Credit: (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

The latest bill setting up another potential battle over the future of Liberty State Park is scheduled to be taken up by the Senate Environment and Energy Committee on Thursday at a hastily called meeting.

On Monday, Sen. Bob Smith, the committee’s longtime chairman, announced the legislation (S-2807), introduced earlier this month by all the senators from Hudson County, will be up for discussion at a meeting set for 10 a.m. in the Statehouse Annex.

The bill would provide $250 million from the general fund to support improvements to the state’s most visited park, often called the crown jewel of New Jersey’s park system. But longtime park advocates worry the bill could facilitate efforts to privatize the park, proposals they have repeatedly defeated in the past.

Under the bill, a new 17-member task force would be created within the state Department of Environmental Protection to create a short-term action plan on ways to improve the public’s use of conservation and recreation areas within the 1,200-acre park.

Long-term planning

In addition, the task force would develop a master plan that outlines long-term plans and capital projects and provides continued maintenance of the park. Among its priorities would be to further preserve the park’s natural resources and protect against climate change. During Superstorm Sandy, virtually all the park was under at least 3 feet of water.

The bill also mentions the need to create a public transportation and mobility plan to increase access for the surrounding community, particularly those who do not have access to a car.

The aspect of the bill that troubles park advocates is a provision that the task force work with the DEP to come up with a plan to generate revenue and other funds to ensure adequate reserve funds for ongoing and future maintenance of the park.

In the past, privatization proposals included golf courses, stadiums and amusements parks.