Bill Supporting Lake Hopatcong Funding Stalls

A bill that would provide $400,000 to Lake Hopatcong has stalled

The state Senate Environmental and Energy Committee in February approved bill S-495 that would give the cash-strapped Lake Hopatcong Commission funds to pay for preservation and the cleanup of the lake. The money, which would come from state pleasure boat registration fees, would go into a newly created "Lake Hopatcong Fund."

But the bill hasn't even seen the agenda of the state Senate Budget and Appropriation committee.

"I know it came out of committee on the Senate end," Lake Hopatcong Commissioner Russ Felter said, "and I don't think it's gone anywhere on the assembly end."

"There's been no action on it as far as we can tell," Lake Hopatcong Commission Administrator Donna MaCalle said.

Sens. Anthony Bucco (R-25) and Steven Oroho (R-24) sponsored the legislation.

"The condition of Lake Hopatcong has deteriorated without a dedicated stream of revenue to fund its upkeep and management," Bucco said in a statement in Feburary. "The lake is important to the environmental and economic interests of New jersey, and we need to ensure that preservation efforts receive their share of state funding."