The newly signed Green Acres appropriations include land-acquisition funding in Madison and Mendham Township, money for the Boonton Reservoir Trail and improvements to Roxbury’s Imagination Station.
MORRIS COUNTY, NJ – Four Morris County recreation and conservation projects are in line for a combined $4,277,250 under Green Acres legislation signed by Gov. Mikie Sherrill on July 30.
The largest local allocation is $1,727,250 for the Boonton Reservoir Trail, a Morris County-sponsored development project. The legislation also approves:
- $900,000 for open-space acquisition in Madison
- $900,000 for open-space acquisition in Mendham Township
- $750,000 for improvements to Imagination Station in Roxbury
The amounts appear in S-4423/A-5334, which appropriates $77,406,208 from constitutionally dedicated corporation-business-tax revenue and Green Acres funds. Of that total, approximately $75.5 million is available for local land acquisition and park-development projects; the balance covers state administrative expenses.
The legislation permits the Department of Environmental Protection to provide grants, loans or a combination of the two. It identifies approved funding amounts but does not specify the final grant-versus-loan structure for each Morris County project.
The two $900,000 acquisition awards could support locally selected land purchases in Madison and Mendham Township. The law does not identify individual properties, meaning additional municipal or DEP action may be required before particular parcels are acquired.
The Boonton Reservoir project is the most substantial local recreation award. Morris County has been working toward public trail access around the reservoir, which is owned by Jersey City and located principally in Boonton and Parsippany. The new appropriation provides a significant state funding source, although the legislation does not establish a construction schedule.
Roxbury’s $750,000 is designated for Imagination Station, the township playground and recreation area on Eyland Avenue.
A companion measure, S-4424/A-5333, directs another $15,546,575 to nonprofit conservation organizations. Several recipients are authorized to pursue acquisitions in Morris County, including the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, the Land Conservancy of New Jersey and D&R Greenway Land Trust. Their awards cover multiple counties, so the legislation does not assign a Morris County-specific share.
The bills took effect upon signing. Funding transfers, changes in project sponsors or changes to the listed project types generally require approval from the Legislature’s Joint Budget Oversight Committee.