Stop deforestation by Six Flags
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Jackson Citizens Coalition is an ad-hoc community group that's been fighting two corporate behemoths (Six Flags Great Adventure and KDC Solar) who want to clear-cut 70 acres of environmentally critical Pinelands forest to build a solar power plant while there is a perfect alternative solution - over 100 acres of parking lots.
We tried to persuade Six Flags to do the right thing on our own, but they just won't listen! We now need to hire an attorney and fight this in court!
100% of your contributions will go to cover the legal fees of Jackson Citizens Coalition fighting the Six Flags' forest clearcut solar plan.
The site is contiguous with two wildlife preserves and the Pinelands National Reserve, an internationally significant UN Biosphere Reserve, and is in close proximity to hundreds of homes.
While we commend Great Adventure’s effort to ‘go green’, cutting down a healthy Pinelands forest is not the way to go about it.
Great Adventure has plenty of room for the panels to be installed over its numerous buildings and four parking lots, including a 100-acre main lot.
There are many reasons why this land should remain undisturbed:
· It serves as water recharge area for the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer and holds headwaters to the Toms River and the Delaware River.
· The forest serves as a water, air and noise pollution buffer between the Six Flags parks and residences.
· It manages stormwater runoff far better than the turf grasses that are to be planted instead; the forest prevents water pollution, while the power plant will create it.
· If Six Flags goes through with this plan, the populations of 13 Endangered, Protected and Of Concern wildlife species and roughly 1,500 common wildlife species with a habitat on the property will be virtually annihilated .
· Safari Park animals are likely to be adversely impacted by the construction process and replacement of woods by an industrial power plant.
· The trees that grow in that forest produce oxygen, absorb greenhouse gasses, and provide other environmental benefits that the solar panels can’t.
We are also concerned about the proximity of the solar site to our homes and the impact that this power plant and its infrastructure will have on our quality of life, as the effects of such large-scale installations on human health have not been studied.
Specifically, we are concerned with:
· Stormwater runoff increase (as much as 1200%), changes to the water table impacting our pools, wells and septic systems, and flooding of our yards and homes;
· Increased risk of fire: the site doesn’t have the 100’ of defensible space around the perimeter as advised by the Forest Fire Service, and surrounding pine forest is considered highly flammable;
· The cheap Chinese-made panels slated for installation do not pass TCLP (toxic leaching test) , most notably for lead, and are not RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) compliant.
These and other concerns are outlined in greater detail on our website, www.JacksonCitizens.com.
The site application for this project is currently being heard by Jackson Township's Planning Board, which seems to be determined to pass it despite the overwhelming evidence against the plan.
The residents have fought very hard on our own: spending countless hours conducting thorough research, speaking to scientists, experts and authorities, preparing our testimony, and securing expert witnesses.
Despite our hard work, the Planning Board has done everything they could to appease Six Flags and everything they could to make it difficult for us to present our case.
This is why we decided that if we wanted to save this forest, the environment and our neighborhood, we didn't have a choice but to hire an attorney to speak on our behalf!
Up until now, a small group of residents had borne all expenses related to the residents' fight, but it's proving to be too much and we simply can't do it alone!
We are hiring a seasoned Land Use attorney who is willing to jump in and give it his best, but we likely have a long fight ahead of us and how much he can do will be dependent on how much you can do.
Please consider helping us in this fight against corporate greed and blatant disregard for our natural resources. Any size donation would help!
We are working closely with several environmental groups including Clean Water Action, but we can only do so much without more support.
100% of your contributions will go to cover the legal fees of Jackson Citizens Coalition fighting the Six Flags' clear-cut plan.
We tried to persuade Six Flags to do the right thing on our own, but they just won't listen! We now need to hire an attorney and fight this in court!
100% of your contributions will go to cover the legal fees of Jackson Citizens Coalition fighting the Six Flags' forest clearcut solar plan.
The site is contiguous with two wildlife preserves and the Pinelands National Reserve, an internationally significant UN Biosphere Reserve, and is in close proximity to hundreds of homes.
While we commend Great Adventure’s effort to ‘go green’, cutting down a healthy Pinelands forest is not the way to go about it.
Great Adventure has plenty of room for the panels to be installed over its numerous buildings and four parking lots, including a 100-acre main lot.
There are many reasons why this land should remain undisturbed:
· It serves as water recharge area for the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer and holds headwaters to the Toms River and the Delaware River.
· The forest serves as a water, air and noise pollution buffer between the Six Flags parks and residences.
· It manages stormwater runoff far better than the turf grasses that are to be planted instead; the forest prevents water pollution, while the power plant will create it.
· If Six Flags goes through with this plan, the populations of 13 Endangered, Protected and Of Concern wildlife species and roughly 1,500 common wildlife species with a habitat on the property will be virtually annihilated .
· Safari Park animals are likely to be adversely impacted by the construction process and replacement of woods by an industrial power plant.
· The trees that grow in that forest produce oxygen, absorb greenhouse gasses, and provide other environmental benefits that the solar panels can’t.
We are also concerned about the proximity of the solar site to our homes and the impact that this power plant and its infrastructure will have on our quality of life, as the effects of such large-scale installations on human health have not been studied.
Specifically, we are concerned with:
· Stormwater runoff increase (as much as 1200%), changes to the water table impacting our pools, wells and septic systems, and flooding of our yards and homes;
· Increased risk of fire: the site doesn’t have the 100’ of defensible space around the perimeter as advised by the Forest Fire Service, and surrounding pine forest is considered highly flammable;
· The cheap Chinese-made panels slated for installation do not pass TCLP (toxic leaching test) , most notably for lead, and are not RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) compliant.
These and other concerns are outlined in greater detail on our website, www.JacksonCitizens.com.
The site application for this project is currently being heard by Jackson Township's Planning Board, which seems to be determined to pass it despite the overwhelming evidence against the plan.
The residents have fought very hard on our own: spending countless hours conducting thorough research, speaking to scientists, experts and authorities, preparing our testimony, and securing expert witnesses.
Despite our hard work, the Planning Board has done everything they could to appease Six Flags and everything they could to make it difficult for us to present our case.
This is why we decided that if we wanted to save this forest, the environment and our neighborhood, we didn't have a choice but to hire an attorney to speak on our behalf!
Up until now, a small group of residents had borne all expenses related to the residents' fight, but it's proving to be too much and we simply can't do it alone!
We are hiring a seasoned Land Use attorney who is willing to jump in and give it his best, but we likely have a long fight ahead of us and how much he can do will be dependent on how much you can do.
Please consider helping us in this fight against corporate greed and blatant disregard for our natural resources. Any size donation would help!
We are working closely with several environmental groups including Clean Water Action, but we can only do so much without more support.
100% of your contributions will go to cover the legal fees of Jackson Citizens Coalition fighting the Six Flags' clear-cut plan.
Organizer
Jackson Citizens Coalition
Organizer
Jackson, NJ
