JERSEY CITY -- A 240-acre section of Liberty State Park that has been closed to the public for decades because of contamination would be transformed into a "mosaic" of freshwater wetlands, salt marshes, forests and grasslands under a plan announced today by Gov. Chris Christie's administration.
The state Department of Environmental Protection, under fire by park advocates for its plan to add a 45-acre marina to the southern end of the 1,200-acre park, intends to spend tens of millions of dollars on the restoration, using money obtained from polluters, DEP commissioner Bob Martin said today in a statement.
"Today, we are beginning the long-overdue restoration of an area that lies at the heart of this great park but has long been off-limits to the public," Martin said in a statement. "The work we are beginning will transform this area into a mosaic of ecosystems that will be enjoyed by the millions of visitors who come to Liberty State Park each year, and will attract wildlife in one of the most urbanized parts of New Jersey."
Park advocates are overjoyed, saying the project is long overdue.
"This is huge," said Greg Remaud, deputy director of environmental group NY/NJ Baykeeper. "It's going to be one of the greatest natural restorations in the United States."
The fenced-off section of the park is located in the interior of the park between Liberty Science Center and Freedom Way. In the 1990s, the area was slated for a golf course, a plan that was shelved after park advocates objected.
The restoration plan will initially focus on one 23-acre section of the park. The state will create trails to connect this area to the park's existing trail system and to the nearby Liberty Science Center.
Subsequent phases will restore another 217 acres by creating new salt marsh, capping contaminated soil and planting trees and grass to create forested and grassland areas, Martin said.
Remaud said the restored area will be green like the rest of the park, but wilder and less manicured. It will create an extraordinary opportunity for environmental education, he said.
"If you're a kid in Jersey City, instead of having to go out three counties away, you can come in here and see all these habitats right in the backyard of Liberty State Park," Remaud said.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will put the project out to bid and manage construction, with DEP overseeing the project through its Office of Natural Resource Restoration.
The funds come from natural resource damages settlements, which aim to reimburse the public for damage done to public lands and resources.
The marina plan is stalled until at least Tuesday, when a Hudson County judge has scheduled a hearing as part of a lawsuit Jersey City filed aiming to halt the state from building the marina.
Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.