Rilee’s Leaving is Good for the Highlands

Jim Rilee has announced his resignation from his chair seat on the New Jersey Highlands Council. Jim Rilee is currently Mayor of Roxbury Township. Mr. Rilee moved to Roxbury Township in 1992 and has also served as Deputy Mayor, and Planning Board member for Roxbury Township for over a decade.  He has served on the Highlands Council since 2011.  The Highland Council’s job is have a land use management plan that protects the natural resources of the Highlands.

“Jim Rilee’s resignation as chair and councilmember NJ Highlands Council will help protect the Highlands. He followed Christie’s marching orders to rollback and dismantle Highland protections. His leaving will be good for NJ and good for our water supply. Now that he is leaving, Governor Murphy can appoint a new chair and new appointee that will protect the Highlands,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “Christie said he wanted to get rid of the Highlands Act the Legislature wouldn’t let him so he appointed people on the Council to weaken the plan. Rilee was the main person to do it. With this replacement on the council, Governor Murphy can appoint someone who will support the Highlands Law. Rilee’s resignation is good for the Highlands and will help protect the drinking water for 6 million people.”

The Highlands is the most environmentally sensitive area of the region. It is home to 880,000 acres of forest and is a major source of drinking water for up to 6 million people that includes pristine trout streams, and reservoirs. The drinking water is important for the environment and the economy if the area.

“Chrisite appointed Jim Rilee to the council to rollback highlands protections. But people stood up and fought and he was not able to get away with it. We blocked him in may close votes.  Rilee tried to allow for more development by changing the Highlands Regional Master Plan. As chair, he fired the former director Eileen Swan so that one of Christie’s cronies could replace her. He blocked towns conforming to the Highlands Plan and did nothing to move Highlands protections forward.  Now with a new chair and new members we can move Highland protections forward and protect the drinking water for 6 million people. Hopefully there will be more of Christie’ appointed council members who look to dismantle ever environmental regulation that will resign,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. The Highlands are a region of national significance.  It supplies drinking water to more than half the population. The region was under threat by Christie and his appointees. Now Governor Murphy can remake the Highlands council and have a chance to appoint people to protect the highlands and protect the drinking water millions of people.”