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House Supports Moving Ahead With Marlboro Township Watersheds Restoration Project

July 14, 2005

Washington, D.C. --- The U.S. House of Representatives today approved a giant water resources development bill that allows the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Marlboro Township to move ahead with innovative plans to do watershed restoration, said U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Rush Holt (D-NJ), who requested the project be included in the bill.The watershed restoration project will be the first of its kind in New Jersey, and among the first in the entire nation.

Over the past 14 years, Marlboro Township has experienced a 40-percent population growth, resulting in an increase in housing and commercial development.This development, along with inadequate infrastructure, has caused various watershed related problems including water quality, erosion, deposition, environmental degradation and flooding.

With the passage of this legislation, the Township will begin to work with the Army Corps to develop and implement a comprehensive watershed management plan in order to address these problems.Marlboro Township already developed a management plan for the Deep Run Watershed, and now plans to do the same for Barclay Brook, Milford Brook, and Yellow Brook Watersheds.

"The House today approved critical federal involvement in an innovative plan by Marlboro Township to address watershed problems that have developed due to a huge population growth over the last two decades," Pallone said."I commend Marlboro Township for coming up with creative solutions to its watershed problems, and I'm hopeful that they can progress in a timely fashion now that the federal government is providing its assistance."

Water and infrastructure projects are important to our densely populated region, said Holt. I am hopeful that federal assistance coupled with Marlboros commitment to restoring this watershed will enhance the local community.

The Water Resources Development Act of 2005 (WRDA) authorizes water projects for the Army Corps for the next two years.The bill now goes to the U.S. Senate for its approval.