Letter from Nic Platt

Dear All,

I thought I would share a photo that was taken this past Tuesday when Sally Jewell, U.S. Secretary of the Interior visited the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge. The last time an Interior Secretary visited Harding Township was when then Secretary Stewart Udall came here 50 years ago to commemorate the victory over the Port Authority of New York to build the world’s largest Jet Port. The plan called for the condemnation of 10,000 acres. The runways crossed at Featherbed Lane and Blue Mill Road. (To put it in context, JFK Airport covers only 3,000 acres.)

Secretary Jewell spent several hours in the Great Swamp working with the volunteers. Her speech highlighted the wonderful things that resulted from President Johnson signing the Wilderness Act September 3, 1964. It was only when the Great Swamp became a National Park in 1968 that the Port Authority actually dropped their plans.

It was a great day for Harding Township. A great day for New Jersey. Nicolas W. Platt