Date : Thu, 2 Apr 2015 18:22:02 -0400
For Immediate Release
April 2, 2015
Contact Jeff Tittel 609-558-9100
Great Adventure's New Attraction: Clear Cut Forests
New Jersey's signature theme park Six Flags Great Adventure has announced it will clear more than 18,000 trees to build the state's largest solar farm project. The solar farm will produce 21.0 megawatts and power 98 percent of the three- park destination's energy needs. However the positive effort to reducing energy consumption and the need for fossil fuels, forest clearing of thousands of trees would create further environmental harm.
"We commend Six Flags for wanting to use green energy to power their amusement park. This would be one of the largest solar arrays in the state and it's important to show that this can work. We are concerned that the site they picked undermines their very important effort in installing solar. While we strongly support solar, the clear cutting of 134 acres of environmentally sensitive lands undermines Six Flag important goals. Green energy shouldn't mean that we destroy green spaces," said Jeff Tittel, Director, New Jersey Sierra Club .
The proposed location, east of the safari park, sits on 134 acres which is mostly forested. The park proposes 90 acres to be used for solar. The area includes environmentally sensitive areas like extensive wetlands and headwaters for two category 1 (c1) streams, and steep slopes. These streams are tributaries of the Toms River. The site is also home to a nesting area of for bald eagle in addition to other endangered species who find the area a retreat from heavily developed Jackson Township.
"The site that they want to clear-cut for the proposed solar is environmentally sensitive and contains two important headwater streams for the Barnegat Bay. Since this property acts as a buffer, the runoff from the safari park will carry nutrient polluting water in the streams. It's not just the runoff from the safari park, runoff would also come from the solar farm and eventually deposit in the Barnegat Bay. We should not be sacrificing clean water for solar projects," said Tittel.
Given the size of the Great Adventure property, there are many alternatives to come up with an alternative site. Building a solar farm should be a positive for the environment and should not cause environmental damage in the process. Clear-cutting 18,000 trees on environmentally sensitive lands will not only cause destruction, but it will take longer to achieve permits for wetlands, wetland buffers, buffer hazards, stormwater, and taking threatened and endangered species habitat.
"This site has so many environmental constraints and problems that not only would it cause environmental harm, it could take years for permits and the project could take even longer. Given all of the constraints of the property, the project could be denied or even take years for approval. Six Flags wants to complete this within two years. However, if they choose a site that has already been cleared, they can complete the project a lot faster and a lot cheaper," said Tittel.
The park and the KDC Solar Company have committed to re-plant 25,000 trees over seven years. This effort creates a more than temporary negative impact on the environment since the old growth forest has mature trees that hold together an ecosystem. After cutting thousands of trees, it could take more than 30-40 years to perform the same job. Another concern is the forest's ability to combat air pollution and absorb climate change causing greenhouse gas emissions will be suspended until the new forest is returned.
"Cutting 18,000 trees will undermine the entire purpose of installing a solar farm. Eliminating the forest will add more flooding and pollution, since the original trees had the ability to absorb carbon and clean our air. This pollution would directly affect the Barnegat Bay, especially since the site acts as a buffer from the safari park by absorbing animal waste and preventing runoff. It will take at least 30-40 years if not more for the trees to grow back to their original state," said Tittel.
Kristin Siebeneicher, a Six Flags spokesperson says the site is the only place large enough to install the solar panels.
"There are many alternatives Great Adventure could take. We would like to work with them to come up with a better solution that protects forests and water quality. They own hundreds of acres of parking lots and disturbed fields. It's very easy to put solar panels above panels in parking lots, which will also help shade cars and prevent clear cutting. Solar can go on empty lots as well as on top of buildings. These alternatives areas would have much less impact on the environment," said Jeff Tittel, Director, New Jersey Sierra Club . "The new attraction at Great Adventure would not only be clear-cutting forest but also watching stormwater run-off with this project.