MONTGOMERY: Trzaska named to canal commission

By Chaarley Falkenburg, Staff Writer
   MONTGOMERY — Pending state Senate approval, Mayor Ed Trzaska will be one of the new faces on the Delaware and Raritan Canal Commission (DRCC).
   The governor nominated Mayor Trzaska along with eight other candidates late last month to be on the DRCC, which oversees development and planning along the 70-mile canal and its 400-square-mile watershed. It is funded from permit fees for building along the canal.
   It started in July when Mayor Trzaska got a call from the governor’s office asking if he would be interested in the job. The mayor had said yes and two months later found out he had been appointed by Gov. Christie.
   Never having been involved with the DRCC, Mayor Trzaska said he was honored by the nomination. He thought the Canal Park and its watershed was critical to the health and wellness not only to the town, but to the entire region.
   ”The park is a recreation destination to many of our residents and the watershed accounts for the drinking water supply of 20 percent of the state’s population,” said Mayor Trzaska. “If approved by the state Senate, I will do my best to protect these natural resources.”
   As part of the commission, Mayor Trzaska would be reviewing, approving, rejecting and modifying any actions by the state or any permits for action in the Canal Park. The commission also is responsible for implementing a land use regulatory program to protect the park from potential harmful impacts brought on by any development in central New Jersey.
   This means the board has the authority to approve or deny certain projects that not only directly impact the canal, but also the waterways that flow into the canal and adjacent rivers such as Raritan and Millstone.
   Mayor Trzaska emphasized this duty as particularly important.
   The other nominees for appointment are: Julia Cobb Allen of Flemington, Anthony J. Persichilli of Pennington, Robert M. Bostock of Lawrenceville, John H. Gilbert of Bedminster, Bruce D. Stout Delaware Township, Mary Allessio Leck of Kendall Park, and Phillip Lubitz of Kingwood.