Local Government Calls for Rutgers Clinic to Withdraw From Lawsuit

The Bridgeton county freeholders passed a resolution demanding that Rutgers Law Clinic cease its involvement in a lawsuit opposing the building of the New Jersey Motorsports Park, a proposed 700-acre, $100 million complex.  In a story appearing in the Bridgeton News it was reported that county freeholders unanimously voted to hire a law firm to assist the Millville Planning Board in fighting the lawsuit brought by environmental groups being represented by Assistant Clinical Professor Carter H. Strickland Jr., of the Rutgers Environmental Law Clinic.

Additionally, the county freeholders unanimously passed another resolutions passed in closed session demanding the withdrawal of the lawsuit by Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries Inc. "The freeholder board is going to speak with one voice that the litigation should be withdrawn -- that Rutgers should be withdrawn," said Freeholder Lou Magazzu, late Thursday night. "If not, we're going to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the elected officials of Millville to preserve the 1,500 jobs and the ratables this project will bring."
    
New Jersey Motorsports Park, a proposed 700-acre, $100 million complex, promises to generate over $1 million in tax revenues, according to Millville officials.

By spring 2006, the developers hope to break ground and have Phase One of the project complete by 2007.

Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and Its Tributaries Inc., the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions and the New Jersey Audubon Society filed the lawsuit against the city's planning board on March 30.

The suit is an attempt to declare the general development plan for the proposed motor sports park null and void.

It alleges the project will have an adverse effect on endangered and threatened species living in the area and their habitat, as well as create a significant noise problem.

Thursday's decision comes two days after a resolution was passed 11-1-1 by the Cumberland County Board of Economic Development also urging for the lawsuit to be withdrawn.

Jane Galetto, representing Citizens United, said Tuesday the environmental groups had no plans to withdraw their suit.