NJ Activists Will Gather In Mercer Co. To Talk Warehouse Expansion

PRINCETON, NJ — New Jersey activists, environmental organizations and lawmakers will be coming together in Mercer County on Sunday, to advocate for green space and oppose warehouse expansion.

The event will bring together communities in New Jersey who are fighting warehouse sprawl in their neighborhoods.

Hosted by New Jersey’s Green Garden State Alliance, the event will allow attendees to network with lawmakers and other activists at the Mercer County Park in West Windsor.

Last year, West Windsor approved a 5.5- million-square-foot warehouse on Quakerbridge Road, despite strong opposition from the community and nearby townships. More: Anger Erupts After Approval Of Massive Mercer Co. Warehouse Project

“Prime farmland is being torn up to accommodate warehouses in New Jersey. It is not only farmland but also habitat for endangered species,” said Tracey Heisler, president of Skyland Preservation Alliance, a nonprofit that fights for the preservation of farmland and open space in Warren and Hunterdon Counties.

The networking picnic on April 2 will be held in partnership with Skyland Preservation Alliance and the Mercer Defense League.

The Mercer Defense League is a coalition of residents from Princeton, Lawrenceville, Hamilton and West Windsor who are fighting to stop the Bridgepoint 8 Project.

Heisler met Stacey Joy Fox of West Windsor who is actively leading the fight against the massive warehouse. Fox recently sued the township for approving the Bridge Point 8 Project. More: Mercer Residents Sue West Windsor Over Approval Of Massive Warehouse

The duo decided on hosting the event to bring like-minded people together and form “meaningful partnerships.”

“I met Tracey and she is a veteran at beating warehouses. I found out she was having monthly meetings for people like me who were brand new to this. So the idea came from there,” Fox said.

Activists like Heisler have experience in fighting developers, and have many resources to share, said Fox.

“Residents of townships that are seeing a sudden burst in warehouse projects, often don’t know what to do and how to organize. This event will help them connect with activists who can share their knowledge and resources with them so they are better equipped when taking on the builder lobby,” Fox said.

Organizations like Clean Water Action, the Watershed Institute, and Delaware Water Gap Preservation Fund will also be at the networking picnic.

Through this event, Fox wants to let communities feel validated in their fight against businesses pouring in money to build warehouses.

"Oftentimes it’s scary to come up against a big money machine. But if we gather a coalition of people we can take on a giant,” Fox said.

“My expectation is that we see a lot of those small groups that feel hopeless and helpless and help give them some sense of renewed expectation of what to expect from their towns from their leadership,” Heisler said.

“It's only when those vocal few get together and see how much power they actually have, that change happens. It is my hope that people come together, learn from each other feel renewed in their fights.”

The networking picnic will be held Sunday, April 2, at Mercer County Park, East Picnic Area, West Windsor, from noon to 5 p.m.

The family-friendly event will have a sand pit for ring toss or badminton, a children’s playground, softball, and volleyball, walking trails nearby, food, drink and more.

For more information, click here.

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