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Remarks of Captain Bill Sheehan, Hackensack Riverkeeper New Jersey Meadowlands Commission
February 26, 2003 History is being made today and we are the ones
making it. The days of filling wetlands are over. The marshes of the
Meadowlands are finally recognized for the public trust resources that they
have always been. And while some folks
might congratulate me on winning a victory, I must confess that if today is in
fact a victory, it is one that is shared my many thousands of people and not
just by Bill Sheehan, Andy Willner, John Quinn, Rich Kane, and our colleagues
in conservation. And all of us stand on
the shoulders of the people who never gave up on the Meadowlands and who showed
us the way – people like Willie Royka; the fisherman, hunters, trappers and the
other “Old Men of the Meadows” that John describes in his book. We are here
today because were it not for them, we would have lost our Meadowlands a long
time ago. Of course we recognize that much has been
lost over the years but today is not a day to grieve over what is gone but
rather to celebrate what we have. Today is also the time to dedicate ourselves
to putting the New Jersey Meadowlands in its rightful place – alongside the
rest of our state’s natural treasures. My sincerest thanks go to Governor McGreevey, Commissioner Levin, the members of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission, and Executive Director Ceberio for making this day happen. I also wish to extend my thanks to Congressman Steve Rothman for embracing the vision of a Meadowlands that is preserved and protected forever. All of these people are leaders in the truest sense of the word and it I am honored to pledge my support and that of my organization to making our shared vision a reality. Like many others, when I first heard about EnCap and
its plan to turn landfills into golf courses, I thought I was hearing yet
another in a long line of schemes and scams and trial balloons hoisted over the
Meadowlands. Then my skepticism turned to curiosity as I thought, “OK, how are
they going to do this and what does it mean for our river?” Well, what it means
is a cleaner river; a river less impacted by the shortsightedness of the past;
a river with more green recreational space and less eyesores along its banks;
in short, it should mean that they will be a good neighbor to the Hackensack
River. The folks at EnCap have promised to use best
available technologies in creating their courses and best management practices
in operating them. And while it’s my job to help make sure those promises are
kept (and I have no doubt that they will be kept), it’s also my job to welcome
them to our neighborhood. So here we are. We have a new Master Plan for the
Meadowlands – one that preserves the marshes and ensures the economic health of
the region without sacrificing one for the other – something many people said
could never be done and something that provoked and sustained many a battle
over the years. Memories of those battles are still fresh in our minds but the
strife is now over and the battles are done. It’s time to cap the landfills,
re-create the green spaces, establish the Meadowlands Preserve and finally fix
the river. Let’s get started. |