Testimony on A4417, Limiting greenhouse gas emissions under Global Warming Response Act
Testimony • 9/17/2018
TYPE: Legislation
NUMBER: A4417
DESCRIPTION: Revises 2050 limit on statewide greenhouse gas emissions
POSITION: Support
TO: Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee
Testimony on S1212, Requiring lead paint inspection prior to home purchases
Testimony • 9/17/2018
New Jersey LCV supports S1212, or the “Lead Safe Certificate” Bill
Lead contamination in our water supply has been a front-page issue over the last few years, highlighted by the struggles faced in Flint, MI. Lead poisoning isn’t just an issue that's happening in a far-off place, and New Jersey is not immune to this issue.
In 2016, over 4,800 children in New Jersey were found to have elevated blood lead levels, with over 225,000 children being impacted since 2000.
testimony on A4416, Prohibiting sale or distribution of asbestos products
Testimony • 9/17/2018
TYPE: Legislation
NUMBER: A4416
DESCRIPTION: Prohibits sale or distribution of products containing asbestos
POSITION: Support
TO: Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee
Testimony on A2926, the New Jersey Transit Villages Act
Testimony • 9/12/2018
TYPE: Legislation
NUMBER: A2926
DESCRIPTION: The New Jersey Transit Villages Act
POSITION: Support
TO: Assembly Commerce and Economic Development Committee
Testimony on S2553/S2554, Providing tax credit for developing pollinator habitat
Testimony • 9/12/2018
TYPE: Legislation
NUMBER: S2553/2554
DESCRIPTION: Provides corporation business tax credit to taxpayers that develop qualified native pollinator habitat on undeveloped property and in their right of way
POSITION: Support
TO: Senate Energy & Environment Committee
Community Members Participate in 'Climate, Jobs and Justice Rally' at Morristown Town Hall
News Article • 9/8/2018 • by TapInto Morristown Staff at TapInto Morristown
Morristown, NJ - Community members gathered today at Morristown Town Hall for the Rise for Climate, Jobs and Justice Event. Same day events were happening in Red Bank, Newark and Jersey City where citizens, elected officials and members of environmental, labor, civil and faith-based groups gathered for the People’s Climate Movement to Rise for Climate, Jobs, and Justice.
Gov. vetoes bag fee bill, opening way for ban on single-use plastics
News Article • 8/27/2018 • by Michelle Brunetti Post at Press of Atlantic City
Gov. Phil Murphy vetoed a bill Monday that would have imposed a 5-cent fee on all single-use bags supplied by merchants, opening the way for an outright ban on single-use plastic bags statewide.
Many environmental groups celebrated, saying the fee bill was just a money grab by the state — 4 cents of every fee would have gone to state coffers — and would not cut down enough on plastic bag pollution.
But others, including New Jersey Audubon, the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters and the N.J. Association of Environmental Commissions, saw the veto as a lost opportunity. They don’t know if there are enough votes in the Legislature to pass a ban bill.
Murphy vetoes plastic bag tax, tells lawmakers to try again
News Article • 8/27/2018 • by Michael Sol Warren at NJ.com
Try again.
That's the message that Gov. Phil Murphy is sending to state lawmakers after vetoing a proposed fee on plastic and paper single-use shopping bags in New Jersey.
Murphy announced Monday morning he vetoed bill, which would have placed a five-cent fee on single-use plastic and paper bags handed out by retailers statewide.
The money collected by the fee would have been placed in a new fund administered by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to help pay for lead abatement projects.
In his statement on the veto, Murphy made it clear that he didn't think the bill went far enough. He called the issue a "critical policy area" and detailed the environmental threats posed by plastic waste, from clogging urban water infrastructure to littering New Jersey's parks and beaches.
"While well intentioned, the approach reflected in this bill strikes me as incomplete and insufficient," Murphy wrote. "Instituting a five-cent fee on single-use bags that only applies to certain retailers does not go far enough to address the problems created by overreliance on plastic bags and other single-use carryout bags."
Governor Murphy Vetoes Bag Fee Bill
Press Release • 8/27/2018
"Governor Murphy had the chance to reduce New Jersey's plastic pollution by closing loopholes and allowing the legislature to pass a stronger bill. Without any kind of law to reduce single-use bags, our state will continue to be overrun by dangerous pollution that threatens the health of New Jersey families and businesses. We look forward to working with the Legislature to combat this problem and make New Jersey an environmental leader once again," said Ed Potosnak, Executive Director of New Jersey League of Conservation Voters.
Phil Murphy to veto bill imposing 5-cent fee on plastic grocery bags. Is a ban next?
News Article • 8/23/2018 • by Scott Fallon at North Jersey Record
TOMS RIVER — Gov. Phil Murphy will veto a much-criticized bill that would place a 5-cent fee on plastic grocery store bags, his office confirmed Thursday afternoon, leading some environmentalists and lawmakers to believe he will push for an outright ban.
Murphy called the bill's sponsors this week and told them he would veto the bill, which was rushed through the Legislature in June amid frenzied negotiations over a roughly $37 billion state budget.
More than a dozen municipalities, including Jersey City, Hoboken and Monmouth Beach, have passed local bans this year that will soon go into effect despite heavy lobbying efforts against a statewide ban.
Murphy's office confirmed that he will sign a veto and explain his position on Friday or Monday — the deadline to take action.