Contact: Ed Potosnak
O: (609) 331-9922
C: (732) 991-7574
NEW JERSEY LCV COMMENTS ON BUSY LEGISLATIVE DAY IN TRENTON AND PENDING ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS
TRENTON – The following are statements from Ed Potosnak, Executive Director of New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, regarding pending New Jersey environmental legislation during a busy legislative day in Trenton.
S3114 (Smith) Eliminates prohibition on provision of single-use paper bags by grocery stores for certain orders for five years; allows packaging options for grocery orders; requires a program for disposition of reusable bags for grocery orders.
“We commend Senator Smith for the most progressive and far-reaching ban in the nation on single-use plastic bags. With any transformative program, we will need to adjust as the program moves out of the state house and into our grocery stores. In an ideal world, stores would be able to sanitize and keep deploying reusable bags for their home delivery programs like farm share deliveries and reuse waxed cardboard boxes. However, while stores adapt to this change, we understand there may be some need for single-use recyclable paper bags,” said Ed Potosnak, Executive Director, New Jersey LCV. “Until this tweak is made law and effective, we encourage customers with an excess of home delivery reusable shopping bags to donate them to food pantries or other organizations in need. It is important to remember that overall, this legislation has been a tremendous success, keeping more than 4.4 million single-use plastic bags New Jersey used annually out of our waste streams and waterways.”
Super Storm Sandy Anniversary
“Unfortunately Super Storm Sandy was a harbinger of things to come as climate change brings more storms and flooding and we are no more protected today than we were a decade ago. I was afraid then and remain equally concerned today these storms will play out like TV Reruns -- that’s why we need the Murphy Administration to move as quickly as possible to update the Protecting Against Climate Threats (NJPACT) rules that would require updated rainfall data for flood hazard regulations, to save lives and untold dollars in property damage from future storms,” said Ed Potosnak, Executive Director, New Jersey LCV. “We've known climate change, rising sea levels, and flooding are an emergency in New Jersey for a long time. Storm season is here, and we can’t continue to repeat preventable, tragic loss of life year after year. We must take action now to protect lives, health, and property, including for the most vulnerable New Jerseyans. ”