ENVIRONMENTAL COALITION AND GREAT ADVENTURE REACH AGREEMENT ON SOLAR PLAN TO POWER THE PARK: WIDE EXPANSE OF FOREST PRESERVED

Press Release: 1/24/2018

Contacts: Janet Tauro, Clean Water Action Board Chair, 732-773-9406

Michele Donato, Attorney, 732-830-0777

Doug O’Malley, Director, Environment New Jersey, 609-392-5151

Britta Wenzel, Executive Director, Save Barnegat Bay, 732-830-3600

Alison Mitchell, Policy Director, NJ Conservation Foundation, 908-892-2429

Marc Covitz, Crosswicks-Doctors Creek Watershed Association, 609-508-6339

A large swath of forest and wetlands will be  permanently preserved and Great Adventure will build a large portion of the solar arrays needed to power the amusements in parking lots, according to an agreement reached by a coalition of environmental groups, KDC Solar Inc., and Six Flags Great Adventure.

Great Adventure will use parking areas to build the bulk of the solar facility, and will limit clear cutting to 40 acres. The original plan called for the destruction of over 90 acres. In addition, 213 acres of Pinelands forest, which could have been developed, and wetlands will be permanently preserved.

Great Adventure plans on powering the park with 100 percent solar power.

The coalition of environmental groups banded together and filed suit against Great Adventure, KDC Solar, and Jackson Township shortly after the plan was unveiled in 2015. All of the groups support solar power, but not at the expense of the forest.

The environmental groups are; Clean Water Action, New Jersey Conservation Fund, Environment New Jersey, Save Barnegat Bay, Crosswicks Doctors Creek-Watershed Association, and the New Jersey Chapter of the Sierra Club.  They were represented by Lavallette attorney, Michele Donato.

The original plan called for the clear cutting of 92 acres. The agreed-upon plan reduces that by over 50 percent.

Highlights of the agreement include:

•                 A conservation easement on 213 acres of existing forest, as well as a conservation easement beneath the 40 acres of solar that will one day revert to natural habitat if not used for renewable energy.   The details of the conservation easement are still being drafted and remain to be resolved.

•                 Great Adventure will fund a $25,000 endowment to the easement holders (yet to be named) that will monitor the land

•                 Dr. Emile DeVito will direct the construction of pine snake hibernacula.

•                 Restrictions are in place as to when the solar field will be cleared and graded to protect wildlife.

•                 Requirements are in place to obtain a tree replacement permit.

QUOTES FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL COALITION

“This coalition banded together and stayed together for the sake of the forest and it worked!” said Janet Tauro, Clean Water Action NJ Board Chair. “Great Adventure came to the table ready to listen to the environmental impacts of their original plan, and through thoughtful and respectful communication, we came to an agreement on powering the park with solar without wreaking total environmental havoc. Going forward, this could be a model for the environmental and business communities working together.”

“This settlement results in over 50 acres less forest being cleared than the original solar proposal,” said Dr. Emile DeVito of the New Jersey Conservation Federation. “A good deal of solar ends up in the parking areas, and of the 213 acres of preserved forest, a sizeable portion is upland forest which could have easily been converted to development.”

Britta Wenzel: Executive Director of Save Barnegat Bay.    “The settlement agreement achieved protection for the headwaters of the Toms River which begin on Six Flags Great Adventure’s property and flows to Barnegat Bay. The remaining forest will also provide a critical buffer to the Category One protected waters. Clean energy must not come at the cost of degraded water bodies in our state. Wise investment comes when we carefully evaluate alternatives, like placing a solar canopy over large parking facilities.”

Doug O’Malley, director of Environment New Jersey. “This was a hard fought settlement and the ecology of the Pine Barrens is better off for the concessions granted by Great Adventure. This is a massive improvement from the initial proposal, and will result in land preservation and solar canopies over parking lots. We need to expand solar in New Jersey, but it needs to be done in an environmentally sensitive manner.”

“The Crosswicks-Doctors Creek Watershed Assoc is proud to have worked with the environmental community, Great Adventure and KDC Solar on this settlement,” said Marc Covitz, Chair and President, Crosswicks-Doctors Creek Watershed Assoc. “The settlement protects valuable forest and wetlands in the eastern headwaters of the Crosswicks-Doctors Creek Watershed and also provides a source of green energy for one of the biggest energy consumers in the State. We look forward to partnering with these groups on future environmental projects in and outside of our watershed.”

Michele Donato expressed pride in the willingness of environmental groups to work together and to compromise with Six Flags and KDC Solar.