Save The Grace Forest

Wayne, N.J. , May 13, 2020 -- The struggle to save the little Grace-Preakness Forest has gone from the hearing room to the streets to the Court, where an aggressive lawsuit was filed on March 20th by a lone independent environmental activist, Richard Brummel.

On May 15th, a local resident, 88-year-old semi-retired CPA John A. Demetrius also agreed to put his name on the lawsuit to stop overdevelopment in Wayne and to save the little forest and all the creatures who live there. His motion is now before the Superior Court in Paterson. 

That lawsuit identifies numerous illegal practices by Wayne Township and its officials that have helped usher in widespread destruction of open space in this once farm-rich area, even when Town ordinances explicitly discourage 'development' over environmental preservation. 

(See the legal papers here : https://drive.google.com/open?id=1zcYa9K9rJPnfAXAQ0fEMs3kfEMYfQqSz )

On April 30th, the judge in the suit said he believed the law mandated a preliminary injunction based on the case, if we are able to successfully argue a standing issue:  there was a lack of 'notice' to the Attorney General and the state DEP before we filed the suit under the NJ Environmental Rights Act (which grants 'standing' to ANYONE). We are arguing the case was an 'emergency' and notice was not required. It is pending but we have a good chance.

We need some money to pay for the expenses of the lawsuit!! So far it has ALL -- well over $1000 -- come out of the pocket of Richard Brummel, the environmental activist (and $15/hour line-cook). (See, Planet-in-Peril.org.)

Expenses to present have been well over $1000 -- Court filing fees of about $450; copying fees of over $200; certified mail, process service, notary, travel over$200; and protest materials including color photo-posters of over $300. Plus other untracked costs. And hundreds of hours of writing so far. 

There will be more expenses and Richard, who has devoted some hundreds of hours to the legal and organizing work to date, simply cannot afford it. We REALLY need help. The money will go to our current expenses. 

Thank you!

(Contact us directly through Planet-in-Peril.org)