Sunday, August 12, 2007

Palmyra Cove

New Jersey Audubon is fighting a plan to dump dredge spoils in Palmyra Cove, a nature preserve near the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge. This email was sent to the JerseyBirds list:

Commissioner Jackson has called a public information session regarding the dredge spoil plan for Palmyra Cove Nature Park for this coming Monday, August 13th, at 10am at the Burlington County Bridge Commission's Offices (see address below). The meeting will likely be moved the the Palmyra Cove Nature Center because of the large crowds that the meeting is expected to draw. The commissioner has called the meeting to explain the need for Palmyra Cove to accept dredge material and to outline the plan for this project. There will be an opportunity for the public to ask questions. The most recent plan that I am aware of calls for use of 10 acres of the Park for dredge material. This plan requires that the 2 wetlands and existing vegetation near the site not be disturbed. Although this sounds like a good compromise in comparison with the original plan of 90 acres, we are not given any guarantee that ACE will return for the additional 80 acres.
There is a little more on the issue here and here. I do not have a strong opinion on the case since I do not have adequate knowledge of the context. If you do have an opinion on the case, Monday's meeting is a chance to express it; alternately, try writing to a state official or the Bridge Commission.
Burlington County Bridge Commission
1300 Route 73 North
P.O. Box 6
Palmyra, NJ 08065