New Jersey Senate Takes Action On Invasive Species

The headline above is not the introduction to some kind of Science Fiction movie. The New Jersey Senate has taken action on to manage invasive species.

The Goal Is To Protect The New Jersey Ecosystem

The New Jersey Senate has passed Senate Bill S1029, which is called “The Invasive Species Management Act.”

New Jersey Senate Speaks With One Voice

We live in very divided times. Rarely does the New Jersey Legislature speak in a unified way.

The vote was a unanimous 39-0.

What Is “The Invasive Species Management Act” ?

The act has been proposed so as to balance the concerns of the New Jersey nursery industry … while also protecting New Jersey's ecosystems from invasive species.

This legislation is years in the making and it features a wide-ranging collaboration.

Comments From Roger D. McLarnon

Senate Bill S1029 presents a comprehensive approach to invasive species management, establishing a robust regulatory framework to address ecological challenges. The bill creates the New Jersey Invasive Species Council, a 19-member body comprising experts from state departments, environmental organizations, and relevant professional fields. This council will be responsible for developing and maintaining a critical list of prohibited invasive plant species, providing strategic guidance to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Department of Agriculture, and the Legislature. The legislation introduces a carefully phased implementation strategy. Thirteen months after enactment, individuals will be prohibited from propagating, importing, or introducing listed invasive species without obtaining a conditional use waiver from the DEP. This restriction will expand after 49 months to include the sale, distribution, export, and offering of these species.

McLarnon Listed The Following As Key Contributors To This New Jersey Senate Bill

NJFT Invasive Species Subgroup and Additional Participating Stakeholders

• Laura Bush, Russell Furnari Native Plant Society of New Jersey
• Jeanne Fox, JD, Adjunct Faculty Columbia SIPA & Rutgers Bloustein; former BPU President; former EPA Regional Administrator; former DEPE Commissioner/Deputy Commissioner
• Lori Jenssen, Executive Director, New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association (NJNLA)
• Michael Van Clef, Ph.D., Program Director, FoVOS NJ Invasive Species Strike Team (NJISST)
• John Landau, Rutgers Environmental Steward
• Richard A. McCoy, American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA) Northeast Representative, Member
• NJNLA and NJLCA
  Co-Chairs, New Jersey Forest Stewardship Task Force (NJFTF)
• Andrew Bennett, Board Member, New Jersey Forestry Association.
• Anjuli Ramos, Chapter Director, Sierra Club New Jersey Chapter
• Alison Mitchell, Executive Director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation
• Kelly Wentzel, Director of Stewardship, New Jersey Audubon

SOURCE: Roger D. McLarnon, P.E., P.P., C.M.E., C.F.M., C.P.W.M, Q.P.A. — Planner, Zoning Officer, Purchasing Manager, Staff Engineer, Street openings — City of Margate.