North Jersey District Water Supply Commission Allocates Up to $30 Million 

(TRENTON) – Governor James E. McGreevey along with the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission today announced up to $30 million in funding to purchase and preserve critical watershed lands in the Highlands region.

“We are making a promise to our children, a promise that they will have a clean environment to grow up in and pure water to drink and power their future industries,” said McGreevey. “These are the greatest gifts we can leave for future generations.”

The Commission will work with the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council to identify and prioritize lands for acquisition.

 “Recognizing the Highlands as a unique oasis of mountain streams, mountain lakes and pristine reservoirs, our Board of Commissioners has approved the creation of a multi-million dollar Water Source Protection Fund,” said Restaino. “This is a major step forward in the purchase and preservation of this environmentally sensitive watershed land.”

Acquiring critical watershed lands is the most direct and proven method of protecting water quality for the long-term. In addition, acquiring and protecting watershed lands saves taxpayers from the burden of continually paying for costly facility upgrades to treat polluted water.

The Governor in August signed the historic Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act, which preserves 400,000 acres of environmentally sensitive land in the Highlands and protects the source of clean drinking water for 5.4 million New Jersey residents.

“This funding will help the Highlands Council begin to achieve its mission of protecting valuable environmental resources while giving fair payment to landowners," said Highlands Council Chairman John Weingart. "It is a great step forward, and we join in commending the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission for this action.”