A voice for Lake Hopatcong

April 25, 2024| Advocacy

By: Kyle Richter

At the Lake Hopatcong Foundation, we focus our efforts on four key pillars: environment, education, community, and advocacy. Many are familiar with our work in the first three pillars—such as initiatives to enhance water quality, educational programs like our floating classroom and field trips, and popular community events like hikes, paddles, and the Lake Hopatcong Block Party. However, our advocacy efforts often operate behind the scenes, where we regularly meet with officials and facilitate dialogue among decision-makers. We strive to be a voice for Lake Hopatcong, which cannot speak for itself.

Today, I want to share three examples of our advocacy work, to shine a light on this important part of our mission.

Critical Water Quality Projects

On Earth Day this year, we had the honor of joining Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill at the Lake Forest Yacht Club, where she presented a "giant" check for $750K in federal funding to Jefferson Township. This funding will facilitate the first phase of engineering work required to implement sewers in Jefferson Township, which is a critical step towards improving water quality on Lake Hopatcong. The idea originated during a meeting where we brought the congresswoman together with our four lake mayors aboard our Floating Classroom to discuss solutions for water quality improvement.

Amplifying Our Voice Through Coalitions

The Foundation actively engages in regional collaborations to amplify our voice and advocate for critically needed resources. As a member of the steering committee for the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed, comprised of over 180 stakeholders, we advocate for a healthy and protected Delaware River Watershed with a unified voice. Most recently, we visited representatives in Washington D.C. to emphasize the needs of our entire watershed, including Lake Hopatcong, urging legislators to support bills that protect at-risk wildlife, preserve access to outdoor spaces, and establish sustainable funding mechanisms for clean water commissions.

Additionally, the Foundation founded and currently chairs the Public Lakes Alliance of New Jersey (PLANJ). PLANJ brings together representatives from New Jersey's public lakes to address and support each other in environmental, safety, and other lake-related challenges through regular meetings and collaboration.

Lakes Funding Legislation

Thanks to our advocacy efforts three years ago, the New Jersey State Legislature passed a funding bill allocating $10 million in grant opportunities for public lakes statewide. From this allocation, $1.7 million was directed to Lake Hopatcong through grants to the Lake Hopatcong Commission, Mount Arlington Borough, and the Morris County Parks Commission for Lee’s County Park. There were more requests than there was funding, however, and for this reason, alongside our partners in PLANJ, we are currently meeting with members of the New Jersey Senate and Assembly to advocate for Bill S876/A2105, which proposes allocating $17 million in funding for public lakes across the state. To date, we have met with 14 senators and assembly members, urging their support for the bill. I am pleased to report that the bill has gained significant traction, and I hope to share a favorable update in the near future.

These are just highlights of our commitment to the lake and community, which knows no bounds! As we continue to forge ahead, we invite you to join us in our mission to be stewards of this cherished resource, by staying informed, becoming a member, and volunteering. Together, we can make a difference and ensure that Lake Hopatcong remains a vibrant and thriving ecosystem for generations to come.