Contact: Henry Gajda
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NEW JERSEY LCV HOSTS CONGRESSMAN FRANK PALLONE TO DISCUSS BOLD FEDERAL CLIMATE ACTION
Trenton – New Jersey LCV along with partners, Pinelands Preservation Alliance, New Jersey Sustainable Business Coalition, American Littoral Society, the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed, and League of Conservation Voters, hosted a virtual webinar today with Congressman Frank Pallone (D-6) to discuss the new bill he wrote and recently introduced. The Climate Leadership and Environmental Action for our Nation’s (CLEAN) Future Act, would set national greenhouse gas reduction targets and establish a framework for reshaping the nation’s economy while pushing initiatives to boost public health and environmental justice. Congressman Pallone chairs the powerful U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee, and said he is enthusiastic about the Biden-Harris administration, a partner he can work with on the federal level.
“We know the climate crisis is already here and that New Jersey is on the frontlines as we experience more and worse extreme weather events each year. The CLEAN Future Act will tackle this growing crisis head on and return our economy to a position of strength after a long, dark year of historic job losses and pain,” said Congressman Frank Pallone. “It promises that we will not stand idly by as the rest of the world transitions to clean energy and our workers get left behind, and that we will not watch from the sidelines as the climate crisis wreaks havoc on Americans’ health and homes. This legislation will create millions of homegrown jobs in a climate-resilient economy, ensuring our workers and businesses can compete in the 21st century transition to clean technology that’s already happening.”
“New Jersey LCV is excited to work with Congressman Pallone because he understands the climate crisis isn’t in the distant future — we’re experiencing it right now,” said Ed Potosnak, Executive Director, New Jersey LCV. “We’re ready to help make the much needed CLEAN Future Act a reality. New Jersey is on the frontlines and we can no longer afford to put it off. We must act immediately to address this crisis.”
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) released a scientific report detailing a vast array of effects that climate change is causing and predictions for changes New Jerseyans can expect in our everyday lives in the coming years.
On average, a New Jersey homeowner will experience a severe 100-year storm at least once during the period of their 30-year mortgage. At the same time, we’ll experience chronic flooding that pollutes our waterways and damages property, and our drinking water supplies will be strained by droughts.
“The Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed thanks Congressman Pallone for his unrelenting support for policy that will make our communities and local economies stronger and more resilient to sea level rise and our changing climate,” said Sandra Meola, Director at NJ Audubon and the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed. “From the NJ Bayshore to the Camden riverfront, our communities are exhibiting the impacts of climate change first hand through flooding, sewer backups, and erosion. We’re grateful for the Congressman’s partnership as we advance environmental priorities rooted in equity and resiliency in the 117th Congress.”
"While more and more companies are prioritizing sustainability, relying on market forces alone is not enough to match the scale or urgency required to address the myriad and cascading risks from climate change," said Richard Lawton, Executive Director of the NJ Sustainable Business Council. "That's why, now more than ever, Congressman Pallone's leadership in advancing environmental policy at the federal level is crucial to being able to successfully expedite the transition to a more vibrant, just, and sustainable economy for current and future generations."
New Jersey LCV and our partners, Pinelands Preservation Alliance, New Jersey Sustainable Business Coalition, American Littoral Society, the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed, and League of Conservation Voters, are ready to work with our elected leaders to take bold action on climate change and other environmental concerns. This webinar was a continuation of efforts to keep these issues out front and the conversation going.