ACTION ALERT
New Jersey Action Alert
Your comments needed by January 19, 2007!
Comments Needed to Amend the New Jersey State Park Code to explicitly allow rock climbing! Deadline for Comments: January 19, 2007
Despite a long history of climbing on State Park Service lands, N.J.A.C. 7:2-2.22, effectively prohibited climbing in the State Park Service system for many years, except for certain commercial guiding services, which were allowed by special use permit. This policy changed in 2004 when, after working closely with Access NJ, the State Park Service implemented a waiver system that now permits climbing. In light of the long history of climber use of the resources in the State Park Service system and the DEP’s acceptance of climbing as a permitted use on lands within its jurisdiction, it is time that the State Park Code is amended to explicitly permit climbing in all its disciplines and to recognize climbing as a legitimate, valued, and positive use on public lands.
N.J.A.C. 7:2-2.22(a) provides a list of specific recreational activities on State Park Service lands that are prohibited without specific approval of the Assistant Director of the State Park Service, the Regional Superintendent or their designee. Among the listed activities is rappelling, an activity often conducted in conjunction with climbing. Furthermore, N.J.A.C. 7:2-2.22(c) provides that any other activity not specifically regulated is prohibited without approval of the Assistant Director of the Division for the State Park Service or the Regional Superintendent. Climbing is not specifically regulated in the State Park Service Code.
Here are some points you may wish to include in your comments:
1.The Department of Environmental Protection should amend the State Park Code to explicitly permit climbing in all its disciplines.
2.Climbing is found in the following New Jersey State Parks and Forests: Ringwood State Park, Allamuchy Mountain State Park, Highpoint State Park, Stephens State Park, Ramapo Mountain State Forest, Kittatinny Valley State Park, Wayawayda State Park, Jenny Jump State Forest, Abraham S. Hewitt State Forest, Norvin Green State Forest, and Stokes State Forest. Note this is not a complete list of all New Jersey climbing resources within the State Park Service System.
3.Climbers have been and continue to be willing to work with the State Park Service and NJ DEP to develop reasonable climbing regulations and area specific climbing management plans as may be necessary.
4.In each of the past three years Access NJ, with the support of the Access Fund and in conjunction with the State Park Service, has held an Adopt-a-Crag event at Allamuchy Mountain State Park in which climbers and park staff came together to improve trails and erosion control, perform site clean up, and undertake other activities to mitigate climber and other user group impacts at Allamuchy.
5.The State Park Service should eliminate the waiver system that is currently in place for climbing on State Park Service lands.
The proposed amendments and explanation can be found on line at: www.nj.gov/dep/rules/proposals/112006a.pdf
Here is how to submit a comment:
Submit Comments by January 19th to:
Alice A. Previte, Esq.
Attention: DEP Docket Number 21-06-10/537
Office of Legal Affairs
Department of Environmental Protection
P. O. Box 402
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0402
The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) requests that comenters submit comments on disk or CD as well as on paper. Submittal of a disk or CD is not a requirement. Each comment should be identified by the applicable N.J.A.C. citation, with the people’s name and affiliation following the comment.
If you have any questions or need help preparing comments please contact Andy Norin, who is coordinating Access NJ's response to the proposed re-adoption of the State Park Service Code. He can be reached at:
973-549-7234
973-360-9831 (fax)
andy.norin@dbr.com