SAMPLE LETTERS

Write your NJ reps to support AR133/SR93
to oppose the designation change of DWGNRA

Sample letters
& supportive documents

On this page you will find sample letters, as well as supporting documents you can print out to hand out in your community.

It is important that we all voice our concerns to our legislators, locally and in DC. It is their job to represent the will of the People, and our voices need to be heard. Every one of us has a question or concern - let your legislators hear you.

Unsure of who to write? Click HERE to find your local representatives

Documents to Download & Print

Delaware Water Gap Defense Fund Brochure

This downloadable brochure contains our mission statement, questions that need to be addressed, a list of local municipalities who currently oppose the re-designation, as well as other info. You can print and hand this out to spread the word.

This downloadable document from the Delaware Water Gap Defense Fund explains who we are and what we do. Print and hand out to spread the word.

Delaware Water Gap Defense Fund - Who We Are

Map of Opposed Counties and Townships

This downloadable map illustrates the counties and municipalites currently opposed to the proposal to re-designate the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

John Donahue & The Sierra Club's Proposal to Re-designate the DWGNRA to a National Park & Preserve

This is the current proposal put forth by John Donahue and the Sierra Club

You can use this letter verbatim, use it for ideas, or extract some sections and add your own thoughts. You can copy and paste directly into your word processing document, google docs, or your email.

Objections to Delaware National Park and Lenape Preserve Alliance’s proposal to change the designation
of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to a national park and preserve. Select all or just a
few.

1. DWGNRA is already protected by Scenic Rivers Act – no additional protections needed

2. Decrease in agricultural leasing will economically impact farmers who depend on crops to hold
livestock over the winter months and farming for cash crops. Fallow fields will allow invasive
species such as Russian Olive to thrive.

3. Forest to Field Conversion will leave approximately 58,000 acres in the preserve open to timber
degradation, land clearing, resource extraction, mineral, gas and oil exploration.

4. Impact on local communities
a. Strain on volunteer EMS personnel and fire departments
b. Negative impact on roads leading into the park; no reimbursement from the
government for maintenance and repairs
c. Increased traffic produces more carbon and affects air quality especially in surrounding
towns

5. Existing conditions in DWGNRA
a. Pennsylvania – RT 209 in disrepair and down to 1 lane in two sections; public bathrooms
are not in working order in some locations; Pike County Planning Commission has
condemned the proposal
b. New Jersey – Old Mine Road is impassable in some sections, bridges are impassable,
road to Buttermilk Falls is impassable
c. Increased traffic produces more carbon and affects air quality especially in surrounding
towns
d. Negative impact on roads leading into the park; no reimbursement from government for
maintenance and repairs.

6. The recreation area is understaffed and underfunded creating situations that are potentially
unsafe for visitors and residents in surrounding communities that travel the area daily

7. Designation change will lead to destruction of habitat for endangered species

More Sample Letter Ideas

INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS IN A HEADER ON YOUR LETTER

[Recipient Name]

[Recipient Address]

[Date]

Dear [Recipient],

IDEAS FOR OPENING SENTENCES

I am a ___year resident of ____ County, and during that time have lived in ______Township, a beautiful area that boarders the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (DWGNRA).

I am writing to you to share my point of view on action is underway to change the designation of the National Recreation Area to a National Park. This action is currently being pushed by the Sierra Club and a former DWGNRA employee.

I am writing to you to state that I am strongly against this potential change in designation to a National Park. I ask you to please consider the negative impact to the Delaware River basin, including the flora, fauna and people that currently reside within, or in close proximity to the DWGNRA.

OTHER POINTS YOU CAN INCLUDE

The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is one of the most popular outdoor destinations for sportsmen on the East Coast. Hunting and fishing is a part of the cultural history of residents in and around the DWGNRA as well as the visitors. While hunting may be permitted in a portion of the area if it were to be redesignated as a National Park, there would be a loss of huntable acres. A decrease in the hunting will negatively impact the balance of the wildlife both in the DWGNRA and in neighboring communities as the populations of deer and bear widen their habitat out of the boundaries of the park area. The lack of hunting and increase in animal (primarily deer) population will ultimately impact native vegetation and allow for more invasive species to move into the area

Creating a National Park will increase the number of visitors which will bring in new issues of overcrowding, littering, and habitat degradation. Additionally, more visitors will increase traffic on the roads that are currently municipal and county roads.

With National Park status there would be increased development of parking areas for the increasing number of visitors – this only results in more pollutants being contributed to the already protected DWGNRA.

If the area were to become a National Park and additional land is purchased – especially the homes and hamlets that are adjacent to DWGNRA there will be a decline in rateables for the small towns.

Another major concern is related to entrances to the area if this were to be a National Park. National Parks generally have two or three entrances. For the DWGNRA there are many roads that lead into the DWGNRA. How will the visitors access the National Park?

For New Jersey Residents:

Honorable [insert Senator's name]

Dear Senator,

Senate Resolution SR93 will be presented for a vote in the future. This resolution opposes a plan to designate the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, already protected under the Scenic Rivers Act, to the Delaware River National Park and Lenape Preserve. The proposal for the designation change is problematic on several issues:

No Environmental, Agricultural or Economic Impact Statements as requested
Forest to Field Conversion on approximately 58,000 acres in the Lenape Preserve (this could lead to resource extraction, timber degradation, disruption of natural habitats, serious soil erosion)
Severe negative impacts on surrounding communities in Sussex & Warren Counties (increased traffic, stress on local EMS serving the local NPS area, possible loss of taxable properties)
Stress on existing facilities within the DWGNRA
(Roads in the Recreation Area are closed due to needed repairs; visitor’s bathrooms are not always in working condition)

There is significant opposition to this proposal. A Change.org petition has over 7,200 signatures. Our FaceBook page has over 4,800 members. Elected and appointed officials in several Sussex & Warren County municipalities, the Commissioners of Sussex & Warren Counties, four school boards, Congressmen Gottheimer and Kean have all issued statement of opposition.

The Delaware Water Gap Defense Fund is a 501C3 committed to defeating this designation proposal and we ask your support by
voting to approve this resolution. For more information, please visit our website www.nonationalpark.org,
visit us on FaceBook (no national park) email nonationalpark2030@gmail.com or call 973.903.0470.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

[your name]

Thank you. Our efforts are making a big difference!

Sample letters & supportive documents