The Place for Jersey City News
Log In / Register
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
Jersey City Times
  • News
  • Diversions
    • Performing Arts
    • Visual Arts
    • Other Fun Stuff
  • In Our Midst
  • Food And Drink
  • Education
  • Neighborhoods
    • Downtown
      • News
      • Guide
    • Heights
      • News
      • Guide
    • Journal Square
      • News
      • Guide
    • Bergen Lafayette
      • News
      • Guide
    • Greenville
      • News
      • Guide
    • Westside
      • News
      • Guide
  • Opinion
  • Columns
    • Eye Level
    • Mamarama
  • Event Calendar
  • Support our Mission
  • Search
  • Menu Menu

Posts

Trenton to Restore Liberty State Park Interior

September 3, 2020/in Bergen Lafayette, header, Latest News, News /by Jersey City Times Staff

The Department of Environmental Protection announced today that it is committing tens of  millions of dollars to the ecological restoration of 234 acres of Liberty State Park’s interior, creating knolls with sweeping views of the Jersey City and Manhattan skylines and increasing public accessibility, according to Governor Murphy and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe.

The proposed design would restore natural resources and create access to the interior of the park that has been off limits to the public for decades due to historic environmental contamination.

The DEP will host a public meeting in late September and make presentation materials available online (https://nj.gov/dep/nrr/) to invite comments and suggestions from the public.

“Liberty State Park is a cherished cornerstone of our state that improves the quality of life for New Jerseyans and offer great services and experiences,” said Governor Murphy. “Today’s investment will allow us to not only rebuild, but enhance the site while preserving the environment, to provide opportunities for residents to discover and enjoy for generations to come.”

The restoration project area has been closed off to the public by a chain-link fence due to contamination from low levels of metals and hydrocarbons. The site was used to deposit soil in the late 1800’s and covered tidal wetlands, in more than 70 acres of the area.

As part of the redesign, the contaminated soil will be excavated and then capped with clean soil. The clean soil will then be planted with trees, grass and other vegetation. All other open public areas of Liberty State Park were remediated similarly in the past.

At approximately one-third the size of New York City’s Central Park, the proposed natural resources restoration will increase the park’s accessible space by 40 percent and will:

• Clean up contamination
• Restore the natural ecosystems
• Create additional access to the park for nearby residents
• Improve water and air quality
• Reduce runoff
• Help mitigate climate change
• Create public-use enhancements

The draft plan aims to restore several habitat types for a wide variety of species and includes 72 acres of fresh and saltwater wetlands. The proposed design also creates seven miles of additional trails within the park, adds more than 300 new parking spaces, and includes a variety of wildlife viewing, educational, and passive recreational opportunities for visitors.

“Engaging with and listening to our communities is critical to all of our environmental justice and equity work,” said Olivia Glenn, DEP’s Deputy Commissioner for Environmental Justice & Equity. “The public conversation to come is necessary to ensure that the future of Liberty State Park truly incorporates the needs of its neighbors and the visiting public. We know that improved access to natural landscapes are priorities for our communities, but there are often other community priorities that we can address like reducing flooding and brownfield revitalization, making this conversation critical to the success of the design.”

“Liberty State Park is one our most protected treasures here in Jersey City and it’s a welcomed initiative and well-worth celebrating when the State promises actions like this,” Jersey City Mayor Steven M. Fulop said. “Ensuring that Liberty State Park remains a protected open space for everyone is essential, but by significantly enhancing it by making large areas that currently lie behind chained fences, which were polluted during the past industrial era years ago, now open, cleaned and made safe for the use of residents, and visitors – how do you not applaud this endeavor.”

Sam Pesin, president of The Friends of Liberty State Park is pleased.  “This tremendously exciting news about the urban nature restoration to benefit urban residents and all visitors, comes 25 years after Governor Whitman listened to the overwhelming majority and rejected the interior golf course plan. In addition to this spectacular nature wonderland and the DEP’s pledge to collaborate on some active recreation and other amenities, the passage of the Liberty State Park Protection Act is essential to fully ensure a great future for the People’s Park behind Lady Liberty.”

“After 30 years of being fenced off to the public and a ceaseless parade of private development schemes for Liberty Park’s 234-acre interior, NJDEP is delivering an exceptional natural restoration and public access plan for this area. We are thrilled!” said Greg Remaud, Baykeeper & CEO of NY/NJ Baykeeper.

“I welcome today’s announcement about reaching a new milestone for the Liberty State Park interior restoration project, which will ultimately benefit Jersey City’s children,” said Senator Sandra Cunningham.

“We are deeply appreciative to Governor Murphy and Commissioner McCabe for investing in Liberty State Park, which is a national treasure and the keeper of this country’s diverse, rich history with markers that have guided generations of citizens and attracted people from all over the world,” said Assemblyman Raj Mukherji of Jersey City, Chairman of the Assembly Judiciary Committee and a longtime champion of Liberty State Park.

The restoration project is funded primarily through Natural Resource Damages (NRD) settlements. NRD settlements use compensation from polluters who have caused environmental harm to fund projects that restore injuries to New Jersey’s natural resources, like the forests and wetlands proposed in Liberty State Park.

Header photo by Shayna Marchese

News Briefs

Hudson County Community College has been named the recipient of a one-year, $850,000 investment from the JPMorgan Chase. The investment will be utilized for a program the College developed to address the challenges of the economic crisis in Hudson County that were brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program is designed to provide lasting improvement in the County’s workforce ecosystem.

Mayor Steven Fulop and the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC) have launched the latest round of emergency funding to provide over $2.5 million in direct aid and support to Jersey City’s neediest residents, regardless of immigration status. The city will partner with  York Street, Women Rising, United Way, and Puertorriqueños Asociados for Community Organization. 

Mayor Steven Fulop is joining forces with Uber to announce a new agreement that will expand residents’ access to COVID-19 vaccinations with free Uber rides to and from Jersey City vaccination sites. Phase 1B includes essential frontline workers and seniors 75 years old and over.

The federal Paycheck Protection Program, which offers businesses loans that can be forgivable, reopened on January 11th. The revised program focuses first on underserved borrowers – minority- and women-owned businesses.

Keep abreast of Jersey City Covid-19 statistics here.

Governor Murphy has launched a “Covid Transparency Website” where New Jerseyans can track state expenditures related to Covid.  Go here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Upcoming Events

Fri 22

Curators Choice 2020 Virtual Exhibition

October 1, 2020 - February 1, 2021
Tue 26

January LSP History Programs: History of the CRRNJ Terminal

January 26 @ 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm
Jersey City NJ
United States
Wed 27

Jersey City Municipal Council Meeting

January 27 @ 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Jersey City NJ
United States
Wed 27

Climate Change and Sustainability Youth Forum

January 27 @ 6:45 pm
Thu 28

Women on Wheels: How Women Found Freedom through Bicycling – Thursday, Jan. 28 at 4pm EST

January 28 @ 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Jersey City NJ

View More…

CONTACT US

    ADS/INFO

    For information on advertising opportunities, please contact - ads@jcitytimes.com

    For information on writing opportunities, please contact - info@jcitytimes.com

    Download our media kit here

    ABOUT US

    About Jersey City Times

    Contact Jersey City Times

    Social

    Archive

    • January 2021
    • December 2020
    • November 2020
    • October 2020
    • September 2020
    • August 2020
    • July 2020
    • June 2020
    • May 2020
    • April 2020
    • March 2020
    • February 2020
    • January 2020
    • December 2019
    • November 2019
    • October 2019
    Copyright © 2020 JCityTimes.com. All Rights Reserved - powered by Enfold WordPress Theme
    Scroll to top
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter

    Support Jersey City Times WITH A MONTHLY CONTRIBUTION

    for the price of a tall coffee at Starbucks!