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ACCESS NEW JERSEY ACTION ALERT; YOUR COMMENTS NEEDED BY JANUARY 19, 2007!
Comments Needed to Amend the New Jersey State Park Code to explicitly allow rock climbing!
Deadline for Comments: January 19, 2007
Despite this long history of climbing on State Park Service lands, N.J.A.C. 7:2-2.22, effectively prohibited climbing
in the State Park Service system for many years, except for certain commercial guiding services, which were allowed by special
use permit. This policy changed in 2004, when, after working closely with Access NJ, the State Park Service implemented
a waiver system that now permits climbing. In light of the long history of climber use of the resources in the State Park
Service system, and the DEP’s acceptance of climbing as a permitted use on lands within its jurisdiction, it is
time that the State Park Code is amended to explicitly permit climbing, in all its disciplines, and to recognize climbing
as a legitimate, valued and positive use as it is on public lands throughout the world.
N.J.A.C. 7:2-2.22(a) provides a list of specific recreational activities on State Park Service lands that are prohibited
without specific approval of the Assistant Director of the State Park Service, or the Regional Superintendent or their designee.
Among the listed activities is rappelling, an activity often conducted in conjunction with climbing. Furthermore, N.J.A.C.
7:2-2.22(c) provides that any other activity not specifically regulated is prohibited without approval of the Assistant Director
of the Division for the State Park Service or the Regional Superintendent. Climbing is not specifically regulated in the
State Park Service Code.
Here are some points you may wish to include in your comments:
1. Climbing is found in the following State Parks: Ringwood, Allamuchy, Hacklebarney (w/ a stipulation), Highpoint, Skylands
Manor, Stephens, Ramapo Mountain, Kittatinny Valley and Wayawayda. Bouldering is found in the majority of Central and Northern
NJ’s State Lands and Forests. This list is not inclusive.
2. Climbers have been and continue to be willing to work with the State Park Service and NJ DEP to develop reasonable
climbing regulations and area specific climbing management plans as may be necessary.
3. In each of the past three years Access NJ, with the support of the Access Fund and in conjunction with the State Park
Service, has held an Adopt – A – Crag event at Allamuchy Mountain State Park in which climbers and park
staff came together to improve trails and erosion control, perform site clean up, and undertake other activities to mitigate
climber and other user group impacts at Allamuchy
4. The State Park Service should eliminate the waiver system, which currently permits climbing on State Park Service lands.
5. The Department of Environmental Protection should amend the State Park Code to explicitly permit climbing in all its
disciplines.
The proposed amendments and explanation can be found on line at:
http://www.nj.gov/dep/rules/proposals/112006a.pdf
Here is how to submit a comment online:
Submit Comments by January 19th to:
Alice A. Previte, Esq.
Attention: DEP Docket Number 21-06-10/537
Office of Legal Affairs
Department of Environmental Protection
P. O. Box 402
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0402
The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) requests that commenters submit comments on disk or CD as well
as on paper. Submittal of a disk or CD is not a
requirement. Each comment should be identified by the applicable N.J.A.C. citation, with the commenter name and affiliation
following the comment.
Hunterdon County Climbing Ban
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