Greenwood Lake Public Launc Update 9/18/23

[muskynut]

Hey Everyone,

Hope everyone is well and healthy. Thanks so much for inquiring in a previous post regarding Greenwood Updates: the legsislature has been on summer recess and only recently reconvened....that's why no updates.

Please look over what we know/the following information:

- On 6/12/23 we (and a representative from NJOA) testified in Trenton before the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee; 3/4 through my bulleted testimony, I was told by Senate Chairman Paul Sarlo to "STOP"....."You realize we are all voting in favor of S987?" he humorously asked me. S987, The Lakes Access Bill which appropriates $1 million, passed unanimously on the Senate side.

-A1047, the companion bill on the Assembly side, is STALLED.

-Over the summer, I had the opportunity to express my concerns with Assemblyman Parker Space of Space Farms....he is one of the co-sponsors of A1047. "As long as you have a Republican at the top of the bill as primary sponsor, the bill will go nowhere". Assemblyman Jay Webber (R) is the primary sponsor of A1047. Asm Parker told me he had a meeting coming up and would see Webber and talk to him about this issue. [B]Assemblyman James Kennedy (D), is the chair of the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee....that our bill, A1047 is stalled in.

-Asm Webber has written several letters to Kennedy asking him to call A1047 to a vote.....Kennedy has not responded/taken action.

-We found out that A1047 was not on the upcoming Assembly Environemen/Solid Waste Committee Agenda for their upcoming meeting the following week in JUNE.

-We tried reaching out to Kennedy via phone calls and email and received no response/action on his part.

-In a last ditch effort, 6/13/23, we reached out to Asm Thomas Giblin (D)
one of the sponsors of A1047, asking him to contact Kennedy and move to have A1047 placed on the upcoming agenda and called to a vote (the day before the Assembly was to meet). Giblin generated a letter asking Kennedy to put A1047 on the agenda so it could be voted on. Again, no response/action on the part of Kennedy.

-The NJ legislature then went into recess for the summer.

-We fear a nasty game of partisan politics may be being played. Unfortunately it has come to light that this happens all the time with many bills! A shame since the bills will benefit outdoorsmen as a whole.

-We have been told by legislative office aids, when a bill stalls, it must be posted as to why it is being prevented from moving forward. We still have not received any answer to this question!

-In a phone conversation with an aid to one of the co-sponsors (ASM GERRY SCHARFENBERGR), I was told that we have until January to get A1047 through.

WE NEED ALL OF YOU TO KEEP UP THE HEAT/FRUSTRATION ON BEHALF OF ALL THOSE WHO UTILIZE STATE OWNED LAKES. THERE STILL IS NO ACCESS TO GREENWOOD LAKE ON THE NJ SIDE ....RAMPS ARE STILL CHAINED, SIGNS FOR NO DAY LAUNCHING ARE STILL PRESENT.

PLEASE HELP PRESSURE THE FOLLOWING TO ADVANCE A1047: THE LAKES BILL

Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee Members

James J. Kennedy (Chair) asmkennedy@njleg.org 732-943-2660
Sterley S. Stanley asmstanley@njleg.org 732-875-3833
Shama A. Haider aswhaider@njleg.org 201-308-7061
John F. McKeon asmmckeon@njleg.org 973-377-1606
Bethanne McCarthy Patrick aswpatrick@njleg.org 856-823-5516
Gerry Scharfenberger asmscharfenberger@njleg.org 732-856-9294
Don Guardian asmguardian@njleg.org 609-677-8266

Note: ONLY ASSEMBLYMAN KENNEDY CAN CALL A1047 TO A VOTE TO ALLOW IT TO ADVANCE! PLEASE GET ON HIS CASE!!!!

Assistant Director of Fish and Wildlife, Lisa Barno also got back to me:

-each year, through Federal Aid, NJ gets $750,000 for ramps.

-it takes approx. 3 years to save up for a ramp (this covers from to design to construction)

-funds were already committed for other ramp work (that was already designed and permitted)

-the "Greenwood Ramp" was also submitted under CAPITAL PROJECT NEEDS for upcoming needs

-the "Greenwood Ramp" was also included in ORD projects (Resource Damages $$$)

-she said, once a design/concept undergoes final approval, this will allow for the final construction/design

-once this is complete, this puts the State in a great position for above funding as well as other grants which will be sought using Greenwood Lake's importance as a driving point.

-the State is continuing to work other internal avenues for "other funding" for the project.

OBVIOUSLY THE $1MILLION S987/A1047 WOULD ALLOCATE WOULD BE ADDED TO AND HELP WITH THE OTHER FUNDS THE STATE IS LOOKING AT.

THAT IS WHY WE NEED ALL OF YOU, YOUR FRIENDS, FISHERMEN, FISHERWOMEN, ETC. TO QUESTION WHY A1047 IS BEING HELD UP AND TO PRESSURE ASSEMBLYMAN JAMES KENNEDY TO CALL A1047 TO A VOTE....GET IT OUT OF HIS COMMITTEE AND ONTO APPROPRIATIONS JUST AS IT EASILY PASSED IN THE SENATE WHEN WE TESTIFIED!

PLEASE HELP US....WE HAVE 4 MONTHS....WRITE, EMAIL, CALL, TEXT, LEAVE MESSAGES....TALK TO AIDS....LET US GET THIS DONE!

That is where we are right now....as of September.

More updates will follow when we know more. Please... help us...takes a couple of minutes.

Thank you all for your continued support....the process is extremely frustrating but there is no way we letting this crash and burn after all our hard work on behalf of all NJ freshwater users.

UFANJ

[NJSquatch]

anyone wanna bet the Kennedy has a house on GWL and doesn't want to see the public ramp built and the riff raff it will bring in the summer?

[Broad Bill]

Can I ask why an Assemblyman who is the Chair for the Committee of Environment and Solid Waste Committee is responsible for calling a Bill to vote regarding public recreational fishing access rights to a private lake subsidized by public funds?

Every politician should be required to be on record for any matter put to vote or in this case any Bill held up from being put to vote so the public has first row seats to witness the carnage we call government. There is zero accountability in politics and politicians are there to serve their own interests as opposed to the interests of their constituents. It's a disgrace how unbalanced justice has become in this country at every level, municipal, state and federal.

Muskynut, thanks again for your time and efforts, no one realizes how much you and others have selflessly put into this initiative. Every politician, Republican or Democrat, in this state should be appalled and embarrassed that this issue hasn't been resolved yet with the distinct possibility I'm afraid to say it never will be.

Remember that the next time you vote if you for a second think our elected officials don't have a major impact on the quality of life we all lead.

[Drossi]

Politics = organized crime = criminal conspiracy = RICO

[Broad Bill]

If this is the same James Kennedy (D) Rahway and you look on his website, A1047 was referred to the Assembly in November 2021. Two years and counting, disgrace.

https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search

[muskynut]

Broad Bill

I totally agree....it is DISGUSTING what is going on. I must admit I am a babe in the woods when it comes to this.....learning as I go along. Didn't think a "launch ramp" would be such a big deal. Never thought these guys we put into office had their own agendas......"I'll go on your bill if you help me with mine"....I'm holding this up because I am a democrat and I don't like the guy on the other side"....I feel like I am dealing with grown CHILDREN. If this is a common practice in Trenton, I question how anything ever gets done down there. Really shame all based on WHO is at the top of the bill and what party they are affiliated with. I have been told the way it works, "they want you to give up....to throw your hands up" let the issue fall from the front to the back burner. We will continue to do what we can no matter what and no matter what negative comments we may receive: You will never get it through, a new ramp will attract riff raft etc...the Fish and Game Council brought up the idea that in order to use the ramp" one would have to have a valid fishing license" (just an idea)....etc. If you look in the DIGEST it says, "fishing permitted 24 hours/day on Greenwood Lake" doesn't make any mention that you have to live there though! We are doing this because what is being done up at the lake is totally wrong and unfair....especially since it continues to be stocked with our license monies. This has nothing to do with marinas trying to make a profit or pay their insurance. It is only about ACCESS and we still have none on the NJ side unless you want to drive to DeFeos on the NY side and pay $30/weekdays or $50 weekends. I have launched my boat into Lake Ontario for $10, and Chautauqua for FREE. Most lakes in NY have state pubic launch ramps: FREE or for a small nominal fee. Isn't that more like it for ACCESS to what belongs to all of us?

We continue to trudge on.....and....thank you for your support.

Respectfully

UFANJ