Environmental groups have sued the state over new beach and river access rules.

 

Crowd gathers on the beach
Crowd gathers on the beach (Dino Flammia, Townsquare Media NJ)
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The notice of appeal was filed Tuesday in state Superior Court in Trenton by the NY/NJ Baykeeper and the Hackensack Riverkeeper. It claims the state Department of Environmental Protection can't legally allow towns to restrict access to tidal waters.

The rules took effect Nov. 5 and apply to more than 200 towns.

The suit says one result is that developers are not required to provide public access if they expand or redevelop a site, as they did previously.

A DEP spokesman says the new rules don't diminish existing public access. He also notes that they have been praised by local officials in urban and shore communities.

 

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press

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