The Pinelands Preservation Alliance recently released its annual State of the Pinelands report. Pinelands Preservation Alliance Assistant Executive Director Jaclyn Rhoads told NJTV News Anchor Mary Alice Williams that one of the biggest takeaways from this year’s report was the critical roles in how the Pinelands is protected.
“The biggest takeaway is that the Pinelands Commission and the governor play a critical role in how the Pinelands is being protected and I think that it was a clear indication in how the activities around the South Jersey Gas pipeline project were handled this past year,” said Rhoads.
The commission voted 7 to 7 on the pipeline project, which meant the pipeline would not move forward. Now two people have been nominated to replace two of the members who voted against the pipeline. Rhoads said that could result in the commission having the required number of votes needed to move the project forward — eight.
When asked what threat this proposed pipeline presents, Rhoads said, “As we’ve said many times, it really threatens the integrity of how the act is handled by commissioners. And that is how you interpret the rules. And we see it as a clear interpretation that these types of projects should not be allowed through their forest management area.”
Rhoads said that the Pinelands Preservation Alliance has a plan to preserve the Pinelands.
“The Pinelands, we have a great plan. We have a great system in place,” Rhoads said. “It has created an area of natural resource protections. They really don’t see quite any place else on the eastern coast, as well as in the country. If we follow the rules and retain the integrity by having good commissioners in place and a good government that respects those citizens that work for that system as volunteers, then I think that’s all we need for the Pinelands. We need people just to follow the rules and make them uphold the integrity of the system that was created 35 years ago.”
Rhoads also said that she was not happy with all of the members of the state Pinelands Commission. She said that the system includes commissioners that are appointed by the county, the governor and one federal appointment, as well as staff. She said both need to work hand in hand.
“Where the staff fails in following the rules and protections that were set in place by legislators past, then the commissioners need to follow lead and make sure that they take up the slack for where the staff isn’t quite following those rules properly,” she said.
Rhoads said that the commission’s oversight of the Pinelands can be enough and that the commissioners have the authority to control at least the executive director by hiring, firing and guiding that individual in how the rules are implemented.
As for some of the positive developments, Rhoads said that there were some applications that were denied by the commission. She also said that the commission has a short course — an annual education event — that allows people to learn more about the Pinelands, which she said is critical to continue protecting the area.