Sandy Hook Beaches Open for Memorial Weekend

Pallone Instrumental in Securing More Than $37 Million for Park’s Repairs

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone announced that all beaches will be open for Memorial Day weekend at Sandy Hook, part of the Gateway National Recreation Area under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service.

“New Jerseyans and visitors have been enjoying the beaches of Sandy Hook for generations, and I’m thrilled that they are once again open for all to enjoy,” said Congressman Pallone. “The road to full recovery is a long one, and the reopening of Sandy Hook’s beaches is a significant step in the process and one more sign of New Jersey’s strength and resilience.”

Pallone has taken a lead in the Sandy Hook recovery process since the storm hit, and he worked directly with the National Park Service to ensure that needs were tended to with urgency. Critical to the recovery, Pallone was instrumental in securing over $37 million in federal funding for Sandy Hook to repair roads, buildings, trails, beaches, utilities and equipment. Pallone monitored the recovery and toured Sandy Hook multiple times to assess damage and progress.

Pallone proudly cut the ribbon on May 1, 2013 when parts of Sandy Hook officially reopened to the public.

Pallone Announces Over $35 Million in Sandy Aid to Sandy Hook

LONG BRANCH, NJ—Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced that the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area will receive more than $35 million in federal aid to repair damage caused by Superstorm Sandy. $30 million has been allocated for the national park from the Superstorm Sandy relief package passed by Congress in January with an additional $5.2 million awarded through U.S. Department of Transportation Emergency Relief for Federally Owned Roads Program.

“Sandy Hook is a treasure enjoyed as a destination by families from throughout New Jersey and beyond,” said Pallone. “So much of Sandy Hook was devastated by the storm and it is critical that we get the beaches and park infrastructure repaired as soon as possible so visitors can enjoy the park in upcoming season. I am pleased that this funding will help get the park back in working order.”

During a recent tour of Sandy Hook Congressman Pallone reviewed with the National Park Service specific projects for which the federal aid will be used. Included in those projects are repairing and repaving roads, parking lots, boardwalks and the multi-use path, fixing the beach facilities and restrooms, restoring ferry service to Sandy Hook, restoring fishing opportunities, opening campground for public and group camping and resuming public interpretive programs. Funds will also be used for replacing and repairing utility infrastructure work includes restoring electric, water, sewer, wastewater treatment systems as well as telecommunication systems.

The National Park Service anticipates spending approximately $18 million on buildings, $5 million on trails and beaches, $3 million on utilities, $2 million on equipment and $2 million on roads. These funds meet the anticipated need for Sandy Hook recovery from Superstorm Sandy.

“Sandy Hook is a major driver of the tourism economy for the region,” said Pallone. “Each year, over 2 million visitors come to Sandy Hooks from throughout the state and beyond to enjoy our pristine beaches, and in the process, help fuel the local economy. Getting Sandy Hook back in working order must continue to be a top priority as we work to rebuild from Superstorm Sandy’s destruction.”

Sandy Hook has been closed since the storm, but parts of the site will open on May 1. Beach B, Gunnison Beach and North Beach will open Memorial Day weekend. As repairs and relief work continues additional parts of the park may open.

Congressman Frank Pallone Statement on the General Management Plan for Sandy Hook and Fort Hancock

SANDY HOOK, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) issued the following statement at a National Park Service meeting regarding the alternative plans for the future of Sandy Hook, in particular Fort Hancock. Congressman Pallone expressed his opposition to commercial development of Fort Hancock and advocated for a plan that would engage the local community and protect the natural and historic environment: 

“I would like to thank the National Park Service for hosting this meeting on the General Management Plan (GMP) for Gateway National Recreational Area. 

“In November of 2010 during the National Park Service’s open houses on the GMP for Gateway National Recreation Area I presented my comments.  At that time, I laid out my concerns with the status of Sandy Hook and in particular Fort Hancock.  I made clear that I believed the National Park Service needed to incorporate community input throughout the process of developing the GMP.  I also expressed my belief that Fort Hancock must be dealt with in an expeditious manner while avoiding any type of commercial development.

“Today, the National Park Service is presenting four draft management alternatives for the future of Sandy Hook.   I am concerned with Alternative B which includes suggested uses for Fort Hancock such as lodging, restaurants, conference space and offices.  This alternative resembles the failed attempt at large commercial development plans that were pursued by Sandy Hook Partners.  The National Park Service should instead pursue other alternatives which would focus on preserving the integrity of Fort Hancock’s status as a National Historic Landmark.  I am encouraged by suggested uses in other management alternatives such as educational services, historic preservation and maritime-related interpretation.

“As I have repeatedly made clear to the National Park Service, I believe that the future of Fort Hancock and Sandy Hook must be determined in close cooperation with the local community.  Further, Fort Hancock cannot continue to wait for a comprehensive development plan, but instead the National Park Service should prioritize the rehabilitation of the buildings one-by-one to save these valuable historic buildings before the damage is irreparable.  The National Park Service should begin this by attracting local non-profits, universities and other community organizations that conform to the natural and historic environment that makes Fort Hancock a special place.

 “Again, I want to thank the National Park Service for holding today’s meeting so the public can provide valuable input for the future of Sandy Hook and all it has to offer.  I look forward to seeing how community input shapes the next steps in the formation of the final GMP.  I remain committed to working with the community and National Park Service to ensure that our national treasures such as Fort Hancock are protected for future generations.”

Leg Up for New Jersey Workers

From the E-Newsletter of Congressman Rush Holt: 

Many of the federal government’s most useful tools to address the needs of people who have lost their jobs come from the Workforce Investment Act (WIA), the primary federal program that supports job training. Last week I invited our nation’s top WIA official, Assistant Secretary of Labor Jane Oates, to meet with more than a dozen officials from New Jersey’s county job training boards to find ways to put more people back to work.

Congressman Rush Holt

Enacted in 1998, WIA created a single, universal employment and job training system – the one-stop career system – to serve the needs of all job seekers and employers. Today there are roughly 3,000 one-stop centers operating nationwide, serving millions of U.S. workers every year. Unfortunately, although WIA’s initial passage was bipartisan, its much-needed reauthorization has come under partisan attack in Washington.

The WIA bill put forth by the Tea Party majority, which could be debated in the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce as early as next week, slashes workforce investment under the guise of improving it. The bill would effectively eliminate many programs, and it would freeze WIA funding at a time when unemployment remains far too high. The result would be reduced services to the lowest-skilled adults, English language learners, people with disabilities, youth, women, and other individuals with barriers to employment.

We should be modernizing and WIA for the 21st century. I am a cosponsor of an alternative bill that would streamline and improve workforce investment system programs, strengthen workforce investment system accountability, and promote innovation and best practices within the workforce investment system. The bill also includes provisions I wrote to support online job training and to recognize and enhance the job training services that libraries provide.

Even now, 12.5 million Americans are striving to find work but proving unable to do so – often for no fault of their own. Our economy’s future depends upon us doing everything we can to help.

Extended Opportunity to Comment on Seismic Surveys near New Jersey’s Coast

The Interior Department announced this week that, because of concerns that I and others raised at a recent Congressional hearing, it has extended the comment period for its proposal to conduct seismic surveys in the mid- and south Atlantic.

Seismic surveys, which are the first step toward offshore drilling, involve using airguns to blast the ocean with extremely loud sound waves – potentially loud enough to damage wildlife and disrupt the local fishing and tourism economies.

The original, brief comment period seemed to be a form of box-checking, a way to say that public opinion had been sought without providing stakeholders enough time to comment intelligently. This extension demonstrates that the Interior Department is being more responsive to the concerns of the public. I will continue to oppose drilling off of our coast.

Free Annual Pass to National Parks for Military Personnel

One of many ways that the U.S. recognizes the service of our soldiers is by offering free admission to many of our nation’s most extraordinary parks and wilderness areas.

Active-duty U.S. military personnel and their dependents are eligible for a free annual pass that covers entrance and standard amenity fees to lands managed by the National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Bureau of Reclamation.

You can acquire your pass by presenting your U.S. military ID or Dependent ID Form at most federal lands that charge an entrance fee. A list of these sites is available online, as is further information on the free military annual pass program.

Sincerely,

Rush Holt
Member of Congress

Pallone Says Sandy Hook Fee Increase May Mean Less Visitors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 12, 2012

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) expressed concern today that the 2012 National Parks Service fee schedule for entrance to Sandy Hook beaches may mean less visitors. Under the current proposal, daily parking rates will jump from $10.00 per car to $15.00 per car and annual season passes will increase from $50.00 to $75.00.

 In response to Congressman Pallone’s urging, the National Park Service actually reduced the Sandy Hook rate increases from their initial proposal, which would have doubled fees across the board.

 “With gas prices rising, and so many New Jersey residents still struggling in these difficult economic times, such a high fee hike for visitors to Sandy Hook is unfair,” said Congressman Pallone. “While, I’m relieved that the National Park Service didn’t double the rates as they originally suggested, the new fees are excessive and will make it unaffordable for many families to enjoy Sandy Hook this summer.”

 At Congressman Pallone’s request, the National Park Service held a public hearing at Sandy Hook where New Jerseyans voiced their opposition to the proposed increases. Congressman Pallone followed the hearing with a letter to National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis noting that other regional parks charge significantly lower fees.

 “Sandy Hook is one of our area’s true natural treasures and New Jersey families deserve the opportunity to be able to visit the beach for an affordable price,” said Congressman Pallone. "While I'm relieved that the National Park Service didn't double the rates as they originally suggested, the new fees will make it less likely that many can enjoy Sandy Hook this summer."

Park Service Responds to Pallone’s Request for Public Input Session on Sandy Hook Park Fee Increase

Long Branch, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. Friday announced the National Park Service has responded to his request to hold a public input session on the proposed fee increases at Sandy Hook. Pallone spoke out against the proposed fee increase, which would raise the vehicle fee for entering the park from $10 to $20 and double the price of a season pass to the park from $50 to $100. Visitors with over-sized vehicles of 20 feet or longer would have to pay an increased fee of $50 per day to enter the park. Additionally, the hours the park charges people entrance fees will be extended for two hours from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

“It’s important that the Park Service hear directly from people who visit Sandy Hook about how they feel paying twice as much to enjoy it,” Pallone said. “Now is not the time to increase the cost burden on New Jerseyans. I suggest the Park Service take a good hard look at other options in order to find a way to keep access to one of our state’s most beautiful parks affordable to everyone.”

Since the proposed fee increase was announced in August, the Park Service has held an official public comment period soliciting input. This comment period ends Friday, September 16. Pallone urged that this comment period was not enough and asked the Park Service to hold a public input session at Sandy Hook. This session will be held Monday, September 26th. The Park Service will have a presentation at 3:30 p.m. and leave the remainder of the session, until 5:30 p.m. open for park visitors to express their views in person to a Sandy Hook representative

“Higher costs of entering the park would have the unintended consequence of significantly limiting access to it. This goes against the intent of our National Park system to preserve, protect and share the story of our historical landmarks,” Pallone added.

Rush Holt; The Debt Ceiling Downer

For the moment we have put the debt crisis behind us. That is small comfort as the economy at large, the job situation, the housing market, and the financial markets continue to suffer. The Tea Party in Congress and its enablers should never have been allowed to threaten America’s good name in order to advance their view of a diminished government and trickle-down economics. They should never have been allowed to force a closed-door, hurried revision of our entire economy. And they certainly should never have been able to get away with a deal that increases inequities in our society and our economy. You, like most Americans, may have watched in dismay—or even in disgust—as Washington fumbled the self-imposed crisis.

Putting aside the distasteful process and the worrisome prospect that government by hostage-taking will continue, this week I had to face the immediate questions: Was the resulting deal going to help the economy? Would it create jobs? Would it reduce the crippling inequities in our economy and society? Would it bring down the deficit, as was the ostensible goal? On all counts my answer was “No,” and I voted against the resolution on the House floor.

I am pleased that we as a country are paying our debts, but I lament the damage done to the institutions of government and the good name of the United States as the most reliable, most creditworthy entity in the entire financial world. I lament especially the damage done to our view of ourselves. The negotiations were based on Tea Party premises: that our deficit is the principal concern facing us, that America is a pitiful debtor nation, that we must lower our sights, that we must end the quest to free our people from want and inequalities, that we cannot afford any longer to be the nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all are created equal. Are we no longer the America of the 1940’s that paid for millions of GI’s to go to college and buy homes, while rebuilding ourselves and Europe, when we were faced with a national debt much greater than today?

The deal this week may have the beneficial effect of showing that in the long run the United States intends to bring expenditures more in line with revenues. In the short term, though, the deal is a downer. It not only avoids dealing with today’s principal needs—job creation and economic growth—it actually will cost jobs and preclude any economic stimulation. At a time when clearly the economy is shaky, it is a mistake to declare, as the deal effectively does, that the federal government will have no direct hand in getting the economy moving. To meet next year’s target of spending reductions will require cuts equivalent to the budgets of all the following government operations combined: the EPA, the National Park Service, the Small Business Administration, FEMA emergency and firefighter grants, and the Women-Infants-and-Children food grants. In subsequent years, the cuts would be even ten times larger. Why should we rally to the cry, “No, We Can’t?” Have we forgotten that barely a decade ago we paid down the deficit with strong economic growth, job creation, and budgetary discipline without resorting to gimmicks, triggers, or Balanced Budget Amendments?

I would have liked to vote on a plan that protected the major functions granted to Congress under the Constitution rather than turning them over to an undemocratic, isolated committee of twelve. I would have liked to vote on a plan that would have accelerated withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan, saving lives and dollars, and that would have produced savings in our healthcare costs and dealt with the looming loss of 30 percent of doctors’ reimbursement under Medicare. Instead, the plan that was presented was negotiated on the turf of the Tea Party, which seems to think that it is anti-capitalist to ask those individuals and companies doing well in this economy to bear some of the load, even though the one or two percent of people with the highest income have seen their income grow by about 25 percent while everyone else has seen an effective decline and America’s largest corporations have reaped immense profits by using loopholes and offshore tax havens to avoid paying taxes.

Nevertheless, I am making it my job to beat back the pessimistic view in Washington that gave rise to this deal. We must not let this deal be the chart of our country’s future course. It is based on false premises that fail to recognize the inherent fairness that is characteristic of our people, the ingenuity and entrepreneurial energy that have sparked our economy for generations, and the unshakable American meliorism that says we can and must make life better for each succeeding generation. I think that now, more than ever, we must have a realistic view of our situation so that we can strongly defend equality and build a community that reinforces the opportunities for each individual.


Sincerely,

RUSH HOLT
Member of Congress