Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act
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The Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act is a New Jersey law aimed at protecting the development of the Highlands region of northwest New Jersey under the supervision of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The Highland region in located primarily in the Warren, Morris, Hunterdon, Passaic, and Sussex counties. The act was necessary in order to preserve both large volumes of New Jersey's fresh water sources for 5.4 million residents and the rich biodiversity in the area, in the face of increasing development in the once pastoral exurbs of New York City. The act was signed into law on August 10, 2004, by Governor of New Jersey James McGreevey.
The provisions of the Act are monitored and controlled by the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council. The Council is comprised of 15 members, with a minimum of eight officials named from the Highlands Region, at least five of whom are municipal officials and three of whom must be county officials.
