Climate change in NJ: Grading Phil Murphy's first year
News Article • 1/17/2019 • by Russ Zimmer at Asbury Park Press
Inch by inch, over the next several decades, the Atlantic Ocean is going to claim more of the barrier islands and low-lying coastal areas.
Monsoon-like rainstorms will become more commonplace, as will heat waves in the summer. The Pinelands will be under attack by tree-killing bugs from the South and commercial fishermen will have to adapt to hunting new species of fish.
This is how climate change will manifest in New Jersey, a reality that Gov. Phil Murphy, unlike his predecessor, acknowledges and has pledged to both resist and prepare for.
"Unless we do more (to counter climate change), the question isn’t whether we’ll see another superstorm like Sandy, but simply a question of when,” Murphy said during a speech in Highlands two weeks after his inauguration. “As the densest state in the nation, we can ill afford to keep our heads in the sand when it comes to climate change.“
Murphy sets sights on business tax breaks in State of the State
News Article • 1/16/2019 • by Michelle Brunetti Post at Press of Atlantic City
But League of Conservation Voters Executive Director Ed Potosnak defended Murphy’s first-year record.
“Our state has made huge strides to turn back the hands of time on the toxic legacy of the Christie administration,” Potosnak said, by advancing clean energy and environmental justice.
Leaders, Legislators React To Governor Murphy’s 2019 State Of The State Address
News Article • 1/15/2019
Various organizations, leaders, and legislators weighed in on Governor Murphy’s 2019 State of the State address (read the speech and watch the live stream here):
HAS MURPHY MADE GOOD ON HIS PROMISES? TAKING STOCK AT THE 1-YEAR MARK
News Article • 1/15/2019 • by Colleen O'Dea at NJ Spotlight
“The governor’s first year has been a whirlwind of pro-environmental actions and commitments to conservation, including creating 100,000 jobs in energy efficiency, reversing rollbacks such as the Highlands Septic Density rule, standing up to polluters and developers, and making sweeping changes at the DEP that puts science-based decision making a top priority,” said Ed Potosnak, the fund’s executive director, who gave the Murphy administration a B+.
New Jersey LCV Statement on Gov Murphy’s State of the State
Press Release • 1/15/2019
TRENTON, NJ- Ed Potosnak, Executive Director of New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, released the following statement today regarding Governor Murphy’s State of the State Address:
Our state has made huge strides to turn back the hands of time on the toxic legacy of the Christie Administration. Governor Murphy has put New Jersey in the running to be the greenest state in America. By advancing clean energy and environmental justice, as well as holding polluters accountable, Governor Murphy has made it clear that a stronger and fairer New Jersey cannot happen without prioritizing environmental health and safety. The Governor is making good on his bold vision for New Jersey becoming fossil-fuel-free by 2050 with the largest commitment to offshore wind in America, creating tens of thousands of good local jobs in the clean energy economy.
New Jersey League of Conservation Voters Education Fund released its score for Governor Murphy’s first year in office last week. Click here to check out the score and a live tracker of the Administration’s accomplishments.
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Green groups give Murphy mixed scores after his first year in office
News Article • 1/14/2019 • by Danielle Muoio at Politico
Two influential environmental groups gave Gov. Phil Murphy mixed reviews for his first year in Trenton, but both agreed the progress he initially made on key environmental issues has declined since his first 100 days in office.
The New Jersey Sierra Club issued a scathing scorecard on Monday, giving the Democratic governor a “D” for what it said was a “a lack of leadership on many key issues.” Murphy fared better last week with the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, which gave him a “B+” for enacting “a whirlwind of pro-environmental actions and commitments to conservation.”
New Jersey LCV Ed Fund Grades Murphy on First Year Achievements
Press Release • 1/9/2019
TRENTON, NJ- New Jersey League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (Fund), a statewide organization dedicated to preserving our environment, announced its scoring of the Murphy Administration on the Governor’s first year in office. The score reflects the environmental achievements of Governor Phil Murphy.
Coastal Congress members move to ban offshore drilling
News Article • 1/9/2019 • by Michelle Brunetti Post at Press of Atlantic City
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Seven members of the House of Representatives, including New Jersey’s Frank Pallone, D-6th, said Tuesday they will introduce legislation to block the Trump administration from expanding offshore drilling for gas and oil.
GREEN GROUPS: PROPOSED OVERHAUL OF STORMWATER RULES DOESN’T GO FAR ENOUGH
News Article • 1/9/2019 • by Tom Johnson at NJ Spotlight
The state is proposing to overhaul one of the most contentious rules adopted by the Christie administration, but critics say it falls short in dealing with the single biggest problem impairing New Jersey’s waters — stormwater runoff.
The proposal, the first major regulation offered by the state Department of Environmental Protection under Gov. Phil Murphy, mostly amends rules involving stormwater management, an issue often blamed for increasing the risk of flooding and threatening water quality.
New Jersey LCV Statement on Attorney General, DEP joining multistate lawsuit against seismic testing
Press Release • 12/20/2018
BELMAR, NJ- Ed Potosnak, Executive Director of New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, released the following statement today on the Attorney General & Department of Environmental Protection's announcement of New Jersey joining a multistate lawsuit to reverse federal approval of seismic testing along the eastern seaboard and demand evidence justifying Florida's exemption from offshore drilling:
We cannot allow President Trump’s anti-environmental and pro-polluter agenda to destroy our economy or our environment. The Jersey Shore tourism industry is a $44 billion economic engine and supports more than 838,000 jobs, including vibrant commercial and recreational fishing industries. We commend the Attorney General and DEP Commissioner for taking these important actions to protect our environment, critical coastal economy, and shore communities from dangerous offshore fossil fuel extraction.
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