JACKSON – A settlement among Six Flags Great Adventure and several environmental groups has been reached that will allow for the construction of a solar energy facility on land near the theme park in Jackson.
The environmental groups that were involved in the litigation were the New Jersey Sierra Club, Clean Water Action, the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, Save Barnegat Bay, Environment New Jersey and the Crosswicks-Doctors Creek Watershed Association, according to a press release from the Sierra Club.
The Sierra Club is supporting the settlement, but did not sign on to the agreement and withdrew from the case because of technical issues, according to a press release.
At issue was Six Flags’ plan to clear-cut almost 100 acres of forest in order to install solar panels that would produce energy to power Great Adventure.
In its press release, the Sierra Club thanked KDC Solar and Great Adventure for coming up with the negotiated conclusion.
“This settlement is a win for the environment and green energy. We opposed the original plan that would destroy close to 100 acres of Pinelands forest, including high-quality streams, for 22 megawatts of solar (energy),” said Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “We were able to come to an agreement that puts half of the panels on the parking lot and (will see) only 40 acres (of forest) cut down.”
Michele S. Byers, the executive director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, said there were no regulations in place to stop Great Adventure from putting a solar facility on forested land.
She said the settlement “made the best of the situation. It is not a precedent, but it is a much better outcome than the initial proposal.”
“At the end of the day, we don’t want solar panels on forested land. We want New Jersey to achieve 100 percent renewable energy, but we want to do that in a thoughtful way,” Byers said.
Six Flags Great Adventure Park President John Winkler said, “This is a proud day for our company. This project represents a giant step toward becoming a net-zero carbon facility. We are pleased that we were able to come to a satisfactory agreement with all parties involved. Clean energy is right for the environment and our future, and we look forward to decades of environmental stewardship with our partner, KDC Solar.”
The 23.5-megawatt solar project will include solar carports over select parking lots and 40 acres of ground-mounted solar panels. Six Flags expects construction to begin by March and for the solar facility to be fully operational by the end of 2019, according to a press release from the company.
Tittel said, “They will also deed restrict 253 acres of open space to make up for the loss (of forest). This deal is right for Six Flags and it’s right for us. We have been involved in this litigation for years and we think this is the best deal we could come up with. Soon New Jersey will have the first amusement park in the country powered by solar power.”
Part of the mitigation for the 40 acres to be clear-cut will be 213 forested acres getting a conservation easement. The settlement also includes creating dens for the state endangered Northern Pine Snake that may be disturbed or relocate on their own because of the clear-cutting. There will be a $25,000 endowment for the holders of the conservation easements to monitor the land, according to the Sierra Club.
“Building a solar farm should be a positive for the environment and should not cause environmental damage in the process. … We want to thank Great Adventure for working with us to reach a solution that works for everyone,” Tittel said.