Date : Wed, Dec 17 2014 13:27:10 -0500
December 17, 2014
Contact: Jeff Tittel, NJ Sierra Club, 609-558-9100
Sterling Forest Casino Rejected by Gaming Commission
Today is a major victory for the protection of Sterling Forest. The NY Gaming Commission has declined to accept a proposal by Genting America to build a 1.4 million square foot casino complex and resort surrounded by public parkland. The Sterling Forest Resort and Casino would have had significant impacts on the Ramapo River, a major drinking water supply for New York and New Jersey. The Sierra Club applauds the Gaming Commission for upholding the public's $100 million investment in Sterling Forest and rejecting this project.
"This is a major victory for the environment and the protection of Sterling Forest. We applaud the Gaming Commission's decision in not allowing for a mega casino in the middle of Sterling Forest. This decision is important for the protection of drinking water and the forest itself and upholds a decades long commitment to protect the forest. This is a big win and the players have beaten a casino," said Jeff Tittel, Director, NJ Sierra Club.
The casino would have impacted the quantity and quality of water available in the Ramapo River. The casino would have promoted more traffic and stormwater runoff. The Ramapo River watershed is a USEPA designated Sole Source Aquifer in southern New York State and northern New Jersey. The Ramapo's Aquifer System provides 100% of the water for Mahwah, Ramsey, Oakland, Franklin Lakes, Allendale, Pompton Lakes and Wayne, about 64,000 people. During drought, water from the Ramapo is pumped into the Wanaque River, supplying water to 3.5 million people.
"We saved Sterling Forest all over again, but that is sometimes the cost of environmental protection. We have to keep winning the same battles all over again. We hope this will lead to the purchase of the last 250 acres. We are glad the Commission did not gamble on Sterling Forest and that preservation of the forest and drinking water is the sure bet," said Jeff Tittel.
The Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) denied Genting Americas request to construct a new interchange. That decision made it virtually impossible for the company to get access off the Thruway without impacting park land, and therefore requiring PIPC approval.
New Jersey has a long history of protecting Sterling Forest. In the late 1980's there was a proposal to build a massive development, more than 7.5 million square feet of commercial and a city of 35,000-45,000 people, on the NJ-NY border in sterling Forest. The project started a bi-state then national battle to preserve what was the largest piece of privately held developable land in the New York City metropolitan area. Bill Bradley blocked Senate Appropriations until we got the needed $35 million in federal monies. The visitor center in the New York State Park is named after Senator Lautenberg because of his work to save the park and financial donations to save the land. Passaic County used eminent domain to acquire the land in New Jersey. Over $100 million in public money went into saving the forest. Tens of thousands of people came out to hearings and meetings. NJ Sierra Club members got more than 25,000 letters sent to Governors Whitman and Pataki. Over a 180 municipalities passed resolutions in support of acquiring the land.
Sterling Forest was a catalyst for efforts to save the Highlands region in New York and New Jersey. It took almost twenty years to save the entire forest. In 2006 we acquired what we thought was the last 500 acres.
"Today is a victory for the tens of thousands of people who worked to save Sterling Forest. More than $100 million of public money was spent to not only preserve the forest but our water supply. This casino would have undone decades of work and public investment," said Jeff Tittel.