ORV Management In Sensitive Areas Of Wharton

enormiss

Explorer
Aug 18, 2015
607
409
Atco NJ
Is that letter supposed to be a response to the petition

Anyone know where the federal $ came from?
I'd like to voice my displeasure that the money intended to increase access has infact limited it.
Mark should remove the "wont cut trees to block access" from FAQ or prosecute whomever felled them
 

Ben Ruset

Administrator
Site Administrator
Oct 12, 2004
7,619
1,878
Monmouth County
www.benruset.com
Is that letter supposed to be a response to the petition

Anyone know where the federal $ came from?
I'd like to voice my displeasure that the money intended to increase access has infact limited it.
Mark should remove the "wont cut trees to block access" from FAQ or prosecute whomever felled them

The money came from the Recreational Trails Grant Program, a federal fund that allows states to build and maintain trails for motorized and non-motorized use.

The current story from the DEP is that money from the grant was not spent to close trails. I think that their logic is that the trails are closed and now the grant money is going to be used to maintain/repair some roads and make the map to show where you're allowed to drive. The trails would have just been closed before the MAP came into effect. (That's just what I surmise, though.)

The grant application makes no mention of closing trails.
 
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popeofthepines

Explorer
Mar 8, 2006
206
73
Atco
The money came from the Recreational Trails Grant Program, a federal fund that allows states to build and maintain trails for motorized and non-motorized use.

The current story from the DEP is that money from the grant was not spent to close trails. I think that their logic is that the trails are closed and now the grant money is going to be used to maintain/repair some roads and make the map to show where you're allowed to drive. The trails would have just been closed before the MAP came into effect. (That's just what I surmise, though.)

The grant application makes no mention of closing trails.

I think you are correct Ben because that makes perfect sense. And thank you for finding an answer to this.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
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What exactly is going on tonight in Atco concerning this?
 

Broke Jeep Joe

Explorer
Mar 8, 2006
781
476
Waterford Twp
The meeting tonight is with the Waterford Twp Environmental Committee, its the first step I guess. Oddly there are pics of the trail blocking committee on their facebook page
 

smoke_jumper

Piney
Mar 5, 2012
1,606
1,164
Atco, NJ
The meeting tonight is with the Waterford Twp Environmental Committee, its the first step I guess. Oddly there are pics of the trail blocking committee on their facebook page
I'm not exactly sure what side they are taking. Since the Township site has the FAQ link for the MAP project too.
 

smoke_jumper

Piney
Mar 5, 2012
1,606
1,164
Atco, NJ
I just looked at their Facebook page. They helped block off the vernal pools off of Sandy Causway back in April. That is something I agree with but where they stand as far as the MAP plan goes I'm not sure.
 

smoke_jumper

Piney
Mar 5, 2012
1,606
1,164
Atco, NJ
Well, DEP is definitely trying to do damage control. Tonight's meeting went pretty much as I expected since the township's environmental committee is just a group of volunteers. The DEP sent a rep to hear our questions about the "proposed" map plan. More interesting to me was the fact the PPA sent a rep as well. An agency that says it has no control over what the state does now feels the need to send a rep to answer all our questions. Basically the short of it is tonights meeting was nothing more then a fact finding mission for the DEP and PPA to gather information so they can figure out how to answer them later. I hope things go better at the town council meeting but it seems the PPA has relatively strong ties in Waterford Township.
 

smoke_jumper

Piney
Mar 5, 2012
1,606
1,164
Atco, NJ
Cindy Randazzo. She claimed not to know anything since she just got back from vacation. According to her she said was told only 10 roads were closed.
 

Cherokee261

Scout
Aug 6, 2015
65
69
Medford Lakes
Cindy Randazzo. She claimed not to know anything since she just got back from vacation. According to her she said was told only 10 roads were closed.
She was on vacation last week, went back to work Monday and I spoke with her then. She's had four days to get up to speed, the "don't know because I was on vacation" response isn't going to fly for her next meeting. Why would the DEP send someone out who doesn't know the details of their plan???
 

smoke_jumper

Piney
Mar 5, 2012
1,606
1,164
Atco, NJ
She was on vacation last week, went back to work Monday and I spoke with her then. She's had four days to get up to speed, the "don't know because I was on vacation" response isn't going to fly for her next meeting. Why would the DEP send someone out who doesn't know the details of their plan???
I'm pretty sure she wasn't there to answer questions but to gather information. She even claimed that she wasn't familiar with the PPA And distanced herself from them. She also stated that the closures were a proposal and nothing is closed as of yet. The rep from the PPA said that as well.
 
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SuperChooch

Explorer
Aug 26, 2011
394
429
48
I'm pretty sure she wasn't there to answer questions but to gather information. She even claimed that she wasn't familiar with the PPA And distanced herself from them. She alsostated that the closures were a proposal and nothing is closed as of yet. The rep from the PPA said that as well.
Lol. So I suppose all the new signs and downed trees are just a figment of our imagination?
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,951
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The rep from the PPA was the volunteer who was putting the signs up on Carranza Road with the Superintendent when Jessica and I saw them and stopped. It is hard to imagine that the PPA would send an employee of three weeks to a meeting. That shows you what they think about this and shows you about them. Al Horner was in the back and he is a board member of the PPA. They should have put him up there instead of a three week employee. He knows more than that man knows.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,951
8,694
Nice to meet you smoke_jumper. Someone else said hello to me and I missed who that was.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,951
8,694
So am I correct that the Superintendent is meeting the public on Wednesday or is that incorrect?
 
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