No one can say that the members of the Millstone Township environmental commission and watershed council don’t have a plan to protect the community’s environment.
They do have a plan and it contains quite an extensive list of goals and priorities. The two public bodies are jointly pursuing an initial $50,000 grant that will help them get started on a plan that may well take decades to complete.
Representatives of the environmental commission and the watershed council presented their proposal to the Township Committee on Aug. 16, outlining 18 goals they’d like to see the funding eventually help to accomplish.
Watershed council Chairwoman Nancy Grebelja said she doesn’t expect $50,000 to cover all of the areas presented, but noted that a thorough plan will help show state administrators that additional funding will be needed in the future.
Among the 18 goals outlined in the "Scope of Work" are:
• promote, encourage and facilitate stakeholder participation in the watershed management process;
• create public awareness of the importance of watershed protection and management;
• develop a program for water quality testing;
• continue and expand the existing water quality testing programs; and
• prepare a Protection Plan Elements, outlining the steps to be taken to protect the above areas. Protection measures may include purchases of land, purchases of development rights, environmental zoning, creation of environmental easements, protective bonds, mechanical stabilization of soils and reforestation.
The entire list of goals may be found in a story on page 3 of today’s Examiner. It represents an ambitious undertaking put together by a group of community volunteers, and it’s so extensive and comprehensive that we don’t think Township Committeeman Evan Maltz was kidding when he said, "There may be 50 years worth of work here."
But that’s OK. It’s a start and may well be a blueprint for Millstone’s officials and volunteers — now and in the future — to follow as they pursue their oft-stated goal of protecting the community’s environment.
"We are aggressive and [environmental protection] is our sole purpose," Grebelja said. "We’re not going to be in this for the short term."
We agree with Mayor Cory Wingerter who said of the environmental commission and watershed council members, "They’ve spent countless hours putting this together. We’re fortunate to have residents who care about the town as they do."