Tweet

4/8/11

VAN DREW WANTS PUBLIC HEARING SO RESIDENTS CAN GET ANSWERS ON MASSIVE PARKWAY TREE CLEARING

Tags:

TRENTON – A week after requesting the New Jersey Turnpike Authority hold a public hearing on the Parkway Project in southern New Jersey that resulted in massive tree clearing along the throughway, Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-1st) on Tue., April 5 sent a letter to the authority executive director offering to take on the responsibility of planning the informational session. VanDrew proposed four dates – April 25, May 4, May 16 and May 17 – and said he is prepared to reserve a venue for the meeting, according to a release.. “I believe a public hearing is critical to clearing up misinformation the public has received, and I know you would agree that New Jersey tax and toll payers deserve the full details of a project they are obligated to fund. I am confident you would also agree that authority business, especially when it comes with such a hefty price tag, both monetarily and aesthetically, should be conducted with complete transparency,” Van Drew wrote. 

Last week, VanDrew sent a letter to the authority expressing concern – as well as the concern of his Assembly colleagues Matt Milam and Nelson Albano – over the project and requesting a public meeting on the issue. Van Drew said today that he has yet to receive a reply.