Advocacy in action: Key visits to Lake Hopatcong

August 14, 2024| Advocacy

By: Kyle Richter

Throughout August, we had the privilege of hosting two elected officials, Senator Cory Booker and Congressman Tom Kean Jr., along with representatives from the Public Lakes Alliance of New Jersey (PLANJ), at Lake Hopatcong. These visits are integral to our ongoing advocacy for the health and sustainability of the lake. They offer invaluable opportunities to exchange insights, build partnerships, and advance our shared goal of securing a vibrant future for Lake Hopatcong and other public lakes across the state.

On August 1st, we hosted Congressman Kean at Hopatcong State Park for his second official visit to our lake. The focus of his visit was to gain a deeper understanding of harmful algal blooms, their causes, and their impact on our lakes and surrounding communities. This visit underscored the urgency of addressing this environmental issue, which poses a significant threat to the health of our waters.

Just a few days later, on August 5th, we held the monthly meeting of PLANJ aboard our Floating Classroom. PLANJ, a coalition of New Jersey public lakes, was founded in 2020 to support one another in tackling environmental, safety, and other lake-related challenges. Typically held over Zoom, this in-person meeting provided a unique opportunity to tour Lake Hopatcong while continuing discussions on shared advocacy efforts. A key focus was Senate Bill S876 and Assembly Bill A2105, which, if passed, would allocate $17 million in grant funding for public lakes across New Jersey. This builds on our successful advocacy for a similar bill in 2021, which secured $10 million in funding, with $1.7 million awarded for projects around Lake Hopatcong.

On August 15th, we were pleased to host Senator Booker and members of his staff as part of the Senator’s annual tour of New Jersey. During a cruise aboard our Floating Classroom, Senator Booker had the opportunity to not only tour the lake but also experience firsthand the interactive, hands-on learning opportunities that the Floating Classroom offers.

Each of these visits provided a platform for us to discuss several on-the-ground projects occurring across all four municipalities around the lake, including sewers for Jefferson Township, lake-wide oxygenation, a dredging and habitat restoration project in Landing Channel, and various stormwater management projects. We emphasized the critical need for new and continued funding to implement these projects, ensuring that Lake Hopatcong remains the best it can be.

These visits are a testament to the impact that community-driven initiatives can have in shaping policy and raising awareness about environmental issues. We are proud to have hosted these leaders and look forward to continuing our work to protect and preserve our lake.