Oppose Off-Road Vehicle Park on State Park Land

Oppose an ATV and Motorcycle Park on State Park Land in West Milford, New Jersey (X-Treme Habitat)

We, the undersigned, do hereby petition Richard Barker, the Assistant Director of the Division of Parks and Forestry, to reject the proposal by X-Treme Habitat to build a park for Motorcycles and ATVs on the 769 acre site of the former Jungle Habitat in Norvin Green State Forest.

This land was purchased through the Green Acres Program for $1.45 million to protect the watershed of the Wanaque Reservoir, and is an integral piece of the greenway through the Highlands. This property is a critical piece of the greenway that includes Bear Mountain through Harriman State Park, Sterling Forest, Long Pond Ironworks State Park, and Norvin Green State Forest. X-Treme Habitats motor-cross theme park would be located in the center of this vital 40- mile greenway.

The property contains the headwaters of two important stream systems, the Morsetown Brook which flows into Greenwood Lake, Hewitt Brook, and an unnamed tributary to Hewitt, which flow into the Monksville and Wanaque Reservoirs. Hewitt Brook and its tributary are classified as trout production, thus they are considered pristine waters and receive the highest level of governmental protection. X-Treme habitat will have a negative impact on their water quality due to erosion, runoff, and non-point source pollution from motor oils and gasoline. The forest will be fragmented, causing destruction of critical habitat for threatened bird species, and displacement of wildlife, including bears. The noise from this facility will negatively impact residential areas nearby, as well as a school and a church. The noise, visual scarring of the property, and potential injury to hikers from motorized vehicles will severely impact four major hiking trails in the vicinity.

A facility such as X-Treme Habitat is in conflict with the purpose of the States Green Acres Program, whose purpose is to protect open space for conservation and recreational purposes for all New Jersey residents, not for private use. State parkland was bought for open space, not development. As taxpayers, we the undersigned object to the use of this taxpayer purchased State property for this intent and purpose.