S1848 (Senators Bob Smith (D-17), Jennifer Beck (R-11)
(Our top priority.)
As the Senate returns from summer holiday, Senator Smith will
press his colleagues to pass S1848, the Poaching Bill. Once again,
we are asking that you again contact your Senator to express your
strong opposition to this cruel, irresponsible, and ecologically
damaging measure.
The Poaching Bill (S1848) would expand the killing deer on
forest stewardship and commercially logged lands by poaching
methods long banned as unethical, unsporting, and unsafe.
Methods include killing animals directly over bait, any time
of day or night, the use of vehicles, and jacklighting, or
stunning deer with strong lights. Under Pennsylvania anti-poaching
laws, first-time offenders who jacklight deer at night face
ninety days in jail.
The poaching practices will be permitted on stewardship lands,
a significant portion of which are leased by hunting clubs and
managed for "trophy bucks" and increased deer reproduction,
and on commercially logged public lands. Logging increases
deer reproduction.
Wildlife protectionists derailed this bill last session. This year,
Senator Smith, shooting and timber industry trade lobbies,
and their partner, New Jersey Audubon, are determined to
force it through, likely at the beginning of the fall session,
or soon thereafter.
Humanitarians must keep up the pressure until this legislation
is soundly defeated. The Poaching Bill S1848 is linked to
Senator Smith's Commercial Logging Bill, S1085. We must
oppose both.
TALKING POINTS
Under Pennsylvania anti-poaching laws, jacklighters face ninety
days in jail. In New Jersey, Senator Smith is promoting jacklighting.
S1085 will allow commercial logging of state forests, primarily
for timber and to increase populations of "game" birds. As noted
by forty New Jersey forest scientists, the logging bill will "grow
the deer herd even more."
Promoters of the commercial logging bill are seeking to destroy
resultant deer by the above, egregious methods. See APLNJ's
op-eds on the poaching and commercial logging bills:
Logging Bill is About Hunting
Logging in New Jersey forests would grow deer population
Aside from the abject cruelty of S1848, the bill is ecologically
damaging. In multiple studies, baiting deer causes changes in
tree species composition and retarded forest regeneration
by concentrating deer that continue to feed on natural browse.[i]
In Eastern deciduous forests, ground-nesting birds were less
abundant in baiting areas. Baiting attracts and concentrates
coyotes, raccoons, and opossums near ground-nesting birds.[ii]
Baiting increases deer-auto collisions.
There is no public demand for either bill. An estimated
seventy-three percent of Americans disapprove of baiting. [iii]
Baiting deer is prohibited in 26 states or parts thereof. In recent
years, Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Wisconsin and Wyoming have moved in this direction.[iv] In
New Jersey, trade associations and associated legislators are
promoting de-regulation and baiting to reverse hunter decline.
NEEDED ACTION
Ask your state Senator to oppose the Poaching Bill, S1848, on
humanitarian, ethical, ecological and safety grounds. Let your
Senator knows that you are a constituent and are watching
this legislation.
Poaching Bill: In addition to reaching out to your district Senator,
please make a special effort to contact members of the Energy
and Environment Committee as noted on the on the contact list
below.
Ask your Senator to oppose the related commercial logging bill,
S1085. There is no public demand for commercial logging of our
precious state forests. S1085 is a narrow, special interest bill
for "game" species and timber for which there is no market.
S1085 has passed the Senate and has been referred to the pro-hunt
Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.
For your convenience, we have listed all Senators' e-mail and
phone contacts. A follow-up e-mail to your Senator will ensure
that he or she is aware of your opposition. Please forward any
news on your Senator's position to APLNJ office at info@aplnj.org.
S1848 and S1085 affect everyone's wildlife and public land.
Neither is the private property of "partnered" trade and a
conservation group, but a public trust. Protect that trust,
through action.
Susan Russell
Wildlife Policy Specialist
Animal Protection League of New Jersey
LIST OF STATE SENATORS BY LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT:
District 1: Senator Jeff Van Drew (609) 465-0700
District 2: ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEMBER
Senator Jim Whelan (609) 383-1388
District 3: Senator Stephen M. Sweeney, Senate President (856) 251-9801
District 4: Senator Fred H. Madden (856) 232-6700
District 5: Senator Donald Norcross (856) 742-7600
District 6: Senator James Beach (856) 429-1572
District 7: Senator Diane B. Allen (609) 239-2800
District 8: Senator Dawn Marie Addiego (609) 654-1498
District 9: Senator Christopher J. Connors (609) 693-6700
District 10: Senator James Holzapfel (732) 840-9028
District 11: ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEMBER
Senator Jennifer Beck (732) 933-1591
District 12: Senator Samuel Thompson (732) 607-7580
District 13: Senator Joseph M. Kyrillos, Jr. (732) 671-3206
District 14: ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEMBER
Senator Linda R. Greenstein (609) 395-9911
District 15: Senator Shirley K. Turner (609) 530-3277
District 16: ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE MEMBER
Senator Christopher "Kip" Bateman (908) 526-3600
District 17: CHAIR, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
Senator Bob Smith (732) 752-0770
District 18: Senator Barbara Buono (732) 205-1372
District 19: Senator Joseph F. Vitale (732) 855-7441
District 20: Senator Raymond J. Lesniak (908) 624-0880
District 21: Senator Tom Kean (908) 232-3673
District 22: Senator Nicholas P. Scutari (908) 587-0404
District 23: Senator Michael J. Doherty (908) 835-0552
District 24: Senator Steven V. Oroho (973) 584-4670
District 25: Senator Anthony R. Bucco (973) 627-9700
District 26: Senator Joseph Pennacchio (973) 227-4012
District 27: Senator Richard J. Codey (973) 731-6770
District 28: Senator Ronald L. Rice (973) 371-5665
District 29: Senator M. Teresa Ruiz (973) 484-1000
District 30: Senator Robert W. Singer (732) 901-0702
District 31: Senator Sandra B. Cunningham (201) 451-5100
District 32: Senator Nicholas J. Sacco (201) 295-0200
District 33: Senator Brian P. Stack (201) 861-5091
District 34: Senator Nia H. Gill (973) 509-0388
District 35: Senator Nellie Pou (973) 247-1555
District 36: Senator Paul A. Sarlo (201) 804-8118
District 37: Senator Loretta Weinberg (201) 928-0100
District 38: Senator Robert M. Gordon (201) 703-9779
District 39: Senator Gerald Cardinale (201) 567-2324
District 40: Senator Kevin J. O'Toole (973) 237-1360
Animal Protection League of New Jersey
PO Box 174
Englishtown, New Jersey 07726-0174
alerts@aplnj.org
732-446-6808
[i] Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources, "Alabama Baiting Committee Report,"
11 Dec 2011, 6.
[ii] Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources, 6.
[iii] Responsive Management/National Shooting Sports
Foundation, "The Future of Hunting and the Shooting
Sports: Research-Based Recruitment and Retention
Strategies." Produced for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service under Grant Agreement CT-M-6-0. Harrisonburg,
VA, 2008.
[iv] Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources,
"Alabama Baiting Committee Report," 11 Dec 2011, 3. www.outdooralabama.com/hunting/Alabama%20Baiting%20Committee%20Report%20-%20December%202011.pdf (Accessed September 17, 2012)
Comments
She has refused to call for an independent investigation involving her friend who used fraud and deception to enable a high-ranking Monmouth County Sheriff's Officer to obtain both a pension and taxpayer funded salary. You read and you decide.
http://openchannel.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/05/14/11690662-gov-christies-pension-issue-nj-probe-looks-at-running-mate-double-dipping
Dump State Senator Jennifer Beck