COLTS NECK — Residents of Colts Neck do not want to see green grass at the Trump National Golf Club while they have to deal with wells that are running dry.
A New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) public hearing concerning Trump National’s water diversion permit was held on Jan. 19 at the municipal building.
Robert Hudgins, a representative of the DEP, gave a brief overview of the golf club’s application that is under consideration by the department.
In 2009, officials of Trump National applied to use up to 22.32 million gallons of water per month, up 12.32 million gallons from the club’s existing permit. The golf course would not be allowed to exceed 58.8 million gallons a year, up 41.4 million gallons from its existing permit.
Most of the water would be used for irrigation purposes at the 18-hole golf course off Route 34.
To obtain this water, Trump National officials have cited the use of existing wells, but they also plan to initiate new wells into the Englishtown aquifer and new flood skimming intake on Marl Brook, a tributary of the Swimming River Reservoir.
The reservoir serves a portion of Monmouth County.
Most of the properties in Colts Neck rely on wells for water which is mainly supplied through the Englishtown aquifer.
Ed Russo, a project consultant for Trump National, said that when the Trump Organization purchased the golf club several years ago, the permitting in place was insufficient with DEP standards. The proposed changes are to address those issues, he said.
The majority of people attending the Jan. 19 meeting were opposed to Trump National’s application for a variety of reasons.
Colts Neck Township Attorney John Bennett discussed the municipality’s objections to the application and produced a letter from representatives of Howell, which borders areas of Colts Neck, voicing their opposition to Trump National’s plan as well.
Colts Neck Township Planner Tim Anfuso expressed his concerns, specifically questioning the proposed flood skimming and asking who would actually monitor the water levels.
Anfuso also questioned whether Trump National would actually make use of its ponds for irrigation, since lowering the water levels could mar the aesthetics of the golf course. Anfuso said that in the last two years he has never seen the ponds at a lower level.
He noted an application Trump National had before the Planning Board to seek permission for a fourth pond on the golf club’s property. That plan now been abandoned, according to Anfuso, who suggested that the fourth pond be installed before Trump National is allowed to move forward with its water diversion permit.
Township health officer Tom Frank spoke about a situation that occurred in Colts Neck during the summer of 2010. Frank said close to 99 percent of the township is serviced by wells. He reported that in 2010, 31 wells went dry and 37 pumps slowed as a result of excessive heat and lack of rain.
Carol Thompson, the owner of a horse farm on Montrose Road, was one resident who said her well dried up last year.
“It was pure hell,” Thompson said, adding that she was forced to haul water to her farm from another location.
Residents expressed concern that if Trump National extracted more water from the Englishtown aquifer to use on the golf course, more residential wells might dry up.
Colts Neck residents were joined in their objections to Trump National’s plan by residents of Middletown and Holmdel, and by representatives of groups such as the New Jersey Friends of Clearwater.
The public input period will close on March 7.
Written comments may be submitted to Robert Hudgins, Mail Code 401-03, Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water Supply, P.O. Box 420, Trenton, NJ 08625-0420.