PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Three mayors in towns that encircle a long-awaited Woodcliff Lake Reservoir Nature Trail are ready and willing to work with Suez water to make the trail a reality and hope that occurs soon, no matter who came up with the idea nearly a decade ago.
For its part, Suez is referring to COVID-related uncertainties in the timing of the execution of the project.
Last week, Pascack Press reported that Woodcliff Lake Mayor Carlos Rendo, Park Ridge Mayor Keith Misciagna, and Hillsdale Mayor John Ruocco said they were frustrated with delays in initiating the long-awaited 1.5 mile walking/nature trail that skirts the edges of Woodcliff Lake Reservoir.
The mayors, and Pascack Press, had been told the trail received conditional approval by the state DEP’s Watershed Property Review Board (WPRB) about two years ago. The WPRB is the state’s regulatory entity overseeing watershed lands that protect the water quality of New Jersey’s surface reservoirs.
We’d reached out to Suez in advance of our update story Feb. 1—“Suez holding up Woodcliff Lake Reservoir trail?”—that detailed the mayors’ concerns with delays and Suez’s role, but didn’t hear back by press time.
Now have heard from the company, whose spokeswoman, Debra Vial, said she read the story.
In an email, she emphasized that “It was SUEZ that brought the idea of a walking path to the three Pascack Valley communities as a way for our customers and their residents to enjoy the natural beauty of the protected property surrounding the water supply reservoir.”
Vial said, “While SUEZ owns the property and pays taxes on the land to the three communities, the State of New Jersey controls access to the land through conservation easements.”
She added, “We have been diligently working with the state and the boroughs on a plan that would allow residents to enjoy the walking path and that plan is currently under review by the New Jersey Watershed Review Board.”
Vial said it’s up to the state “to examine and approve any use of this land and it is a responsibility they, and we, take very seriously as this land is part of a watershed that serves nearly one million [north Jersey] residents.”
She said, “While we expect the board to conclude their review of the plan this year, we are unsure of the timing due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Vial called the article, which took up the towns’ concerns, “inflammatory.”
We emailed officials at the Watershed Property Review Board to get confirmation of the board’s role, the status of Suez’s reservoir trail agreement, and its perspective on possible holdups. We did not hear back by press time.
We ran Suez’s statement by Rendo, Misciagna, and Ruocco and asked if it had clarified the situation for them.
Ruocco said, “I frankly do not recall whose idea it was, nor do I care. It’s a good concept and a shame that it is taking so long to reach fruition.”
He said negotiations with Suez and discussions with New Jersey were “well underway” when he joined the council in 2015 “to pave the way for this project.”
Ruocco said the three towns then were making progress with Suez, and Suez with state authorities, and agreements with all parties were signed.
He said a setback occurred when state DEP funding appeared to be in jeopardy, but it was resolved and Park Ridge and Woodcliff Lake had funding restored for $15,000 trail-related grants.
However, Ruocco noted, Hillsdale did not receive its trail grant. He said the borough sought to apply this year. Though Hillsdale has the smallest section of trail, he said its part is the southern trailhead and access point.
Misciagna said he believed it was Park Ridge’s planner who came up with the idea for a reservoir walkway, and even put it in the borough’s Master Plan.
“Obviously, we need Suez to be on board and I’m not sure why it matters whose idea it was, but the idea and effort has been there a long time. We just want to get the idea over the finish line,” Misciagna said.
He added, “Whatever we need to do, Park Ridge is willing to continue working together with our neighbors and Suez to bring this to a completion.”
Rendo used a football analogy: “We’re on the 10 yard line ready to go in. By working together with all interested parties, we will get this done,” he told Pascack Press.
Rendo previously said that he “would not accept” Suez’s recent statement to Woodcliff Lake’s and Park Ridge’s business administrators, who were told that trail approval was not likely anytime soon.
Rendo has said he would invite a Suez representative to a Feb. 10 Pascack Valley mayors’ meeting to discuss the nature trail and other Suez-related issues. It was not known at press time whether a Suez official would attend that meeting.
In April 2019, Pascack Press reported that the Watershed Property Review Board gave conditional approval for the reservoir nature trail. The nature trail project was estimated to be a two-year pilot program “with the possibility to extend up to three additional years,” according to the Suez agreement signed by towns.