Reforestion pacts release funds for towns

By Amber Cox
   Chesterfield, Mansfield and the state Department of Enviromental Protection have reached an agreement for a reforestation project after the townships lost several acres of trees for the turnpike widening project.
   Chesterfield will receive three installments, over three years, totaling about $1.15 million. The first installment of $304,093 is expected before the end of the year. The final two installments will add up to almost $850,000.
   The township lost 14.4 acres of trees in the project to widen the turnpike between Interchange 6 in Mansfield and Interchange 9 in East Brunswick.
   The action comes under the state’s No Net Loss Reforestation Act. That law requires that any trees removed during a development project that covers more than half an acre of forestland must be replaced by new plantings. Several towns had challenged Gov. Chris Christie’s order to cut $16 million from that program to fill budget gaps, leaving some areas treeless.
   The final plans for where the trees are going to be placed have not yet been finalized, Chesterfield Township Engineer Nancy Jamanow told the Township Committee on Dec. 8.
   ”We’ve been working on the plans in our office,” she said. “We’re almost there. We did get the grant application and we have been working on that. We have to do a cost estimate and break it down.”
   She said they are waiting on the complete details of the agreement from the Department of Environmental Protection. Ms. Jamanow also asked that the committee be aware that there is a required 95 percent survival rate for the trees. She made it clear that it’s important to have money left over to be able to maintain the trees and keep up the survival rate.
   The Township Committee and its engineer agreed that bidding out the installation services to get prices from other companies would be the best option. They are not sure yet if they should do a cost per tree or cost by park estimate.
   The reforestation will occur as a buffer along the turnpike and on new recreational space in Old York Village and other recreational areas in the township.
   Mansfield Township is in the process of finalizing the deal and the first installment is for $800,000.
   The other installments are not guaranteed to the municipality and will be listed in the budget requests for the next two years.
   ”They’re only guaranteed the first payment,” Township Attorney Michael McGee said Monday. “There’s no guarantee that you’re going to get any funding after the first installment.”
   It is not yet clear when Mansfield will receive the payment because the municipality has to come up with a final planting plan.
   ”We needed a little bit more time for the planting plan,” Mr. McGee said. “They’re very anxious to wrap this up, as are we.”
   Bordentown Township did not join the challenge to the cut in the No Net Loss program because the township had struck an earlier deal Turnpike Authority.
   Bordentown Township Committeeman William Morelli said the township has actually received more replacement trees than the Turnpike Authority had to pay for thanks to a deal the municipality negotiated. He said the equivalent of 28 acres worth of trees has already been planted next to the Clifton Mills development to mitigate sound levels and the Turnpike Authority is “contractually obligated” to plant another 23 acres in its right-of-way once the widening is complete.
   Because of its earlier deal, Bordentown Township did not join the challenge to the No Net Loss funding cut, but did send a letter of support to the group, Mr. Morelli said, noting the fund transfer attempt was a “boneheaded maneuver on the part of the governor.”