However, court proceedings could take place sooner if the city files its response prior to that date. Tim Keating, a Hazlet native and executive director of Rainforest Relief, said speedy legal action was necessary because he feared that logging would begin as soon as Circle A placed its order for the wood. Keating said the suit is based on an executive order signed by former Gov. James Florio. The order, which has not been rescinded, calls for the use of recyclable products whenever possible. In approving the contract, the council relied on a letter from the state Department of Environmental Protection, which said that the choice of wood was up to the city.
Half is in the form of a grant, and half is a low-interest loan.
Keating claims that the head of the Brazilian government's environmental protection department admits his agency is incapable of controlling illegal logging. Rainforest Relief suggested the city consider the use of a synthetic product such as Trex, which has been installed locally on the Spring Lake boardwalk. City engineers say the Asbury Park boardwalk's substructure cannot support Trex, which has also been criticized for being slippery when wet and susceptible to warping. Objections to synthetics were also raised by City Historian Werner Baumgartner, who said that natural wood should continue to be used on the city's boardwalk due to its historic nature. Rainforest Relief and The New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club asked the city not to use wood from Brazil unless it had been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.