Each month we will highlight an environmental organization in New Jersey. We encourage you to visit their site to see what they are doing and to get involved.
July's choice is
Clean Ocean and Shore TrustThe NY/NJ Clean Ocean And Shore Trust, known as 'COAST', was created by law in the states of New York and New Jersey.
COAST is a bistate committee created by the state legislatures in New York in 1990 and in New Jersey in 1993. It consists of 18 members, mostly state senators and assemblymen, with nine members from each state. The remaining members are representatives of the two state's governors, executive agencies, and private scientific institutions. You can read about the statutory makeup of the committee in the Legislation creating COAST, and see who its members are in the Members pages.
The purpose of the committee is straightforwardly stated as being "to provide for the maximum enhancement, enjoyment and conservation of the marine resources of the Hudson-Raritan Estuary and the New York Bight." And "that the best interest of the people of the state and the communities involved will be served by the establishment of a New York-New Jersey bi-state marine resources committee to make specific recommendations concerning the maintenance, protection and restoration of such marine resources."
The legislative preamble states: "the Legislature finds and declares that the Atlantic coastline of New Jersey and New York is a major natural and scenic resource providing innumerable recreational, commercial, and aesthetic benefits central to the welfare of the citizens of, and visitors to, both states," and "that use and misuse of the coastal resources of one state can severely affect the condition of the coastal resources of the other; that the States of New Jersey and New York and their respective citizens share a concern to preserve the natural and scenic resources and protect the environmental integrity of the Hudson - Raritan estuary and the New York - New Jersey Bight area, and to enhance the coastal tourism industry of the two states.
"The Legislature therefore determines that there is a need for a bi-state cooperative effort to help ensure that the natural and scenic resources and the environmental integrity of the Hudson - Raritan estuary and the New York - New Jersey Bight area from Cape May Point, New Jersey, to Montauk Point, New York, are preserved, protected, maintained, and restored, and that the coastal tourism industry of the two states is enhanced to the maximum extent practicable and feasible; and that it is appropriate to create a bi-state committee to commence that cooperative effort by formulating, evaluating, and recommending strategies therefore, which would be transmitted to appropriate state and local officials and members of Congress of the two states for consideration and possible implementation."
"The committee may make such recommendations as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act. In furtherance of its responsibilities under this act, the committee shall coordinate and recommend standardization of all laws relative to the Hudson-Raritan Estuary and the New York Bight and shall consider the adverse impact any action proposed in or for the Hudson-Raritan Estuary and the New York Bight may have upon the marine resources of said area."It is unique in that it is an official agency in both states, and that it is a creature of the legislatures, and not under the executive branch.
Please visit their site to find out more.
