Hosted by New Jersey Highlands Coalition

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Details

The 2017 Water Resources and the NJ Highlands Conference is a great opportunity to learn more about and discuss the most precious resource of our state...WATER! With a keynote speaker and panel of experts there will be an excellent forum for learning and discussion on what the future of NJ's water supply will be and how the Highlands will be protected to preserve this resource. 
Keynote Speaker
Assemblyman John F. Mckeon
Democratic Assemblyman John F. McKeon is a graduate of Muhlenberg College (BA in History) and of Seton Hall Law School (JD). He practices law at the law firm Hardin, Kundla, McKeon & Poletto. He served the Township of West Orange as Councilman from 1992-1998 and Mayor from 1998-2010. He has served in the General Assembly since 2002. Assemblyman McKeon was the Deputy Speaker of the General Assembly from 2010-2011, the Assistant Majority Whip from 2004-2005, Majority Whip from 2008-2009, and the Assistant Majority Leader from 2006-2007. Assemblyman McKeon has sponsored numerous bills in support of protecting New Jersey’s environment, such as A1488, the Renewable Energy District Financing Act and A1483, the Water Supply Open Space, Farmland, Historic Preservation Trust Fund Act and the NJ Highlands Water Protection & Planning Act.

Panel Discussion
Where does our water come from and how can we protect it?
This panel discussion will include introductions and current ventures of panelists as well as an interactive, audience Q & A session focused around NJ’s water resources and why the NJ Highlands Region is so critical for the State’s water supply. Panelists include Montclair State University Professors, non-profit organizations, policy experts and industry professionals.

Screening of “The Highlands Rediscovered”
This beautifully shot (in high definition) and informative 30-minute documentary explains the history of the Highlands region and why it became the source of clean drinking water for more than two-thirds the State's population. The film explains how the ecological functions of the Highlands forests cleanse rain as it percolates into aquifers and ultimately into surface reservoirs. It also presents the challenges the Highlands region is faced with in retaining its important forests under land development pressures.