FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 16, 2026
Contact: Anthony Campisi
Anthony@WalnutLaneStrategies.com
Office: (732) 266-8221
New Jersey LCV Applauds Nomination of Ed Potosnak as DEP Commissioner; Names Allison McLeod Interim Executive Director
The New Jersey League of Conservation Voters (New Jersey LCV) today hailed Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill’s announcement that she intends to nominate Ed Potosnak, the organization’s longtime Executive Director, to serve as Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
"Governor-elect Sherrill’s selection of Ed Potosnak is a powerful signal that her administration will prioritize bold environmental leadership while ensuring state government works for every New Jerseyan," said Bob Conley, Board Chair of New Jersey LCV Education Fund, a 501(c)3. "Ed has spent over a decade proving that we don't have to choose between a healthy planet and a thriving economy. He understands that by investing in clean energy and green infrastructure, we can protect our natural resources while lowering costs for working families."
A Legacy of National Environmental Leadership
Under Potosnak’s leadership, New Jersey LCV grew from a one-person operation working out of a home office with $20,000 in the bank to a powerhouse with a staff of 20 and an annual budget of nearly $4.5 million across both the 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 arms of the organization, transforming the state’s political and environmental landscape. During his tenure, the organization became a national model for environmental advocacy and political action, including:
- Unprecedented Electoral Impact: New Jersey LCV revolutionized environmental politics in the state. We grew our electoral spending significantly over that time to power environmental champions to victory up and down the ballot. New Jersey LCV was the No. 1 issue-based and non-candidate affiliated spender in last year’s elections. This represents a massive shift from the decade prior to Potosnak’s arrival, when the entire environmental community spent a combined total of only $500 on elections.
- Building a Local Bench: Beyond the Statehouse, Potosnak oversaw a local candidate program that saw a 500% increase in applicants within just three years, ensuring pro-environment leadership up and down the ballot and recognizing the key role county and local governments play in advancing environmental policy.
- Pioneering Clean Energy: Potosnak helped lead the charge to commit New Jersey to 100% clean energy. He was a central figure in the "Clean Energy For All" movement. As part of that work, Potosnak helped lead the movement that put New Jersey on the path to 100% clean electricity by 2050 — the first state to adopt a 100% clean energy plan — and has led the fight to ensure that our state now achieves that goal by 2035. Now 24 states across the country have adopted 100% clean energy plans.
- Securing Long-Term Funding for Open Space: In the most densely populated state in the nation, he oversaw the 2014 constitutional dedication for open space, which has secured more than $2.5 billion for preservation, and successfully advocated for the lockbox amendment to ensure natural resource damages are used for restoration. These investments have helped protect critical ecosystems, limit sprawl and address flooding.
- Protecting Public Health: From banning neonicotinoid pesticides and enacting the largest single-use plastic bag ban in the nation to securing lead drinking water disclosures for the state’s 3 million renters, Potosnak’s work has consistently focused on improving the safety of New Jersey families.
New Jersey LCV Leadership Transition
New Jersey LCV is also pleased to announce that Allison McLeod, the organization’s current Deputy Director, will serve as Interim Executive Director effective immediately. McLeod has been a cornerstone of the organization’s recent successes and operational growth.
The strong leadership team that Potosnak has recruited to the organization will remain in place, and Jason Krane is being named Chief Development Officer to ensure that New Jersey LCV continues to build relationships with stakeholders to secure the resources needed to continue its important work.
"I am honored to lead this incredible team during such a pivotal moment for our state," said Allison McLeod, Interim Executive Director. "Ed has been an extraordinary mentor and leader, and while he will be missed, he leaves behind a robust organization ready to build on our record of success. My focus will be on ensuring a seamless transition as we continue to advocate for the clean energy, safe water, and preserved open spaces that New Jersey families deserve. We are ready to hit the ground running alongside the Governor-elect Sherrill."
"We have full confidence in Allison’s leadership during this transition," added Randy Jones, Board Chair of New Jersey LCV, a 501(c)4. "Our mission remains unchanged: to make New Jersey the greenest state in the nation by electing environmental champions and holding them accountable. With Governor-elect Sherrill in the Statehouse and a champion like Ed Potosnak at the New Jersey DEP, the future of the Garden State has never looked greener."
The New Jersey LCV Board of Directors will shortly initiate a formal, comprehensive search for a permanent Executive Director to lead the organization into its next chapter.