Voters provided permanent relief to communities harmed by industrial pollution on Election Day by approving an environmental coalition-led ballot question that prevents money earmarked for environmental restoration from being raided by Trenton lawmakers.

The measure was declared passed with 69 percent support.

“By approving Ballot Question 2, voters created a ‘lock box’ for these funds, ending the irresponsible budgeting practice of Trenton politicians stealing the money from polluted communities to plug holes in the state budget,” said Ed Potosnak, executive director of New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, which led the effort to get the question on the ballot.

The question of dedicating Natural Resource Damages (NRD) funds to communities recovering from pollution made it onto the ballot with overwhelming bipartisan support of the Legislature: the vote was 28-8 in the Senate and 56-18-3 in the Assembly.

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