The previous DEP Commissioner, Shawn LaTourette, the enemy  of LSP who pushed his horrific 60 year marina lease despite the overwhelmingly opposed gargantuan marina warehouse for 500 boats, thankfully didn't get to sign it in Governor Murphy's last 5 days after the State House Commission (SHC) approved the lease. "The fix was in" with the DEP governor, politicians and multibillion dollar Suntex Marina's lobbyists, as the Jersey City Times 1/17 article below reported. The SHC ignored 3 hours of unanimous public hearing opposition and approved the lease. LaTourette continued his lies to the end because the north side informal athletic fields will continue to move forward to do so whether there is a new lease or not, and previous leases show that its the marina's obligation to replace the bulkhead.

Now the DEP's warehouse war on LSP is  "on the watch" of Governor Sherrill and her DEP. The Governor will be an immediate hero or enemy of LSP depending on whether she listens to the almost 50 years of the broad public consensus against privatizing this sacred park behind Lady Liberty!

State House Commission 1/15 Public Hearing Transcript and Appendix with spoken opposition and Chat Entries and also emails urging SHC to take LSP off the agenda and a few FOLSP emails to DEP and SHC

LSP 707 Public Comments Emailed to DEP in late summer 2025 - all but 4 Vs marina lease

2/5/26 Environmental Groups LSP Sign - On Letter to Governor Sherrill opposing LSP marina lease - letter organized by NJCF

2/2/26 FOLSP Jersey City Times Op ed - "Gov. Sherrill & Commissioner Potosnak Must Stop the Liberty State Park Ware house"

1/12/26 Attorney's letter to State House Commission on marina lease's major defects

The Marina "Lease Terms Sheet is here. 2,6 acres with 2.3 boat warehouse and .3 for "support building with first floor unnecessary "amenities" for LSP

 

NEWS STORIES AND EDITORIALS

1/30/26 Jersey City Times by E. Assata Wright "Liberty State Park Marina Lease Left Unsigned by Murphy Administration" "Future of controversial Suntex deal now rests with Gov. Sherril"

1/17/26 Jersey City Times by E. Assata Wright "Marina Lobbyist Met Members of Body That Approved Controversial Warehouse Lease"

12/17/25 Jersey City Times by Jeff Tittel "We Must Stop a Jan. 15 Vote to Put a Massive Warehouse in Liberty State Park"
"The NJDEP is supposed to be the steward of our public land, not a broker for private corporations. A National Treasure - Not an Industrial Zone: LSP is a symbol of our freedom and our democracy. This deal is illegal, immoral, and indefensible".

11/17/25 Jersey City Times by E. Assata Wright "Liberty State Park Advocates Rally to Oppose Boat Warehouse"

11/15/25 Hudson County View by Daniel Ulloa "Friends of LSP, activists & electeds protest proposed marina"

11/15/25 Friends of LSP Protest Video (9:23 minutes) - "Stop the Marina Massive Boat Storage Warehouse" 

Friends of LSP Opposition Bullet Points against Massive Marina Boat Storage Warehouse

LSP Marina Lease Important Excerpts from 650 Public Comments Opposing Massive Boat Warehouse

View 6 Marina renderings

The DEP webpage with the proposed lease etc.


-9/15/25 Jersey City Times Editorial "An oversized Home Depot" Has no Place in Liberty State Park
  "Next to the now-rejected “mini-Meadowlands” that the billionaire Paul Fireman tried to foist on the park two years ago, the construction of a 500-unit boat storage facility at the entrance to the park is one of the worst ideas we can imagine. State Senator Raj Mukherji doesn’t buy it, calling $60 million “practically a rounding error” in New Jersey’s massive budget. “I don’t know where we got this idea that state parks should have to sustain themselves through revenue. Fundamentally, what should be driving all decision-making about Liberty State Park is what does the community, which owns the park, want to see there?”  And, of course, where does this stop? Are we to sell off a piece of the park each time lawmakers fail to adequately fund it, or will we force Trenton to get its priorities straight? The question answers itself. LaTourette has rightly been called a “hero” for his work advancing Liberty State Park’s revitalization. We hope he continues to be one by killing this terrible plan".