52 



to development for several reasons including: ( 1 ) in many 

 cases, they represent the last large tracts of open land, (2) 

 increased population growth in the New York metropoli- 

 tan area has raised land values and demand for real estate. 

 (3) relatively new interstate highways have improved ac- 

 cess to many areas which has increased development 

 opportunities, (4) most wetlands are zoned for light in- 

 dustry or residential housing by local governments, (5) 

 the lack of any comprehensive state wetland protection 

 for inland wetlands, and (6) many inland wetlands do not 

 meet specific requirements for Federal jurisdiction under 

 Section 404 of the Clean Water Act of 1977. Recent 

 wetland losses have been particularly heavy in this part of 

 the state. In the recent past, Morris County may have lost 

 about 25% of its wetlands, while over half of Passaic 

 County's wetlands may have been destroyed. Pressure to 

 develop remaining wetlands continues to be intense as 

 demonstrated by proposals to fill all or parts of inland 

 wetlands, e.g.. Lee Meadows, Bog and Vly Meadows, 

 Long Meadows and Black Meadows. 



A bill to strengthen protection for these and other in- 

 land wetlands has been recently introduced into the New 

 Jersey legislature. If passed, local governments will have 

 some of the necessary tools to provide wise stewardship 

 of these valuable natural resources. The U.S. Army 

 Corps of Engineers is considering wetland acquisition in 

 the Passaic River Basin as an option to prevent flood 

 damages from escalating in the future. This approach was 

 successfully used by the Corps in the Charles River Basin 

 in Massachusetts. Similar initiatives are needed in other 

 states to reduce loss of inland wetlands to urbanization 

 and industrial development. Moreover, Federal regula- 

 tion under the Clean Water Act is also vital to protecting 

 these wetlands. 



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