For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Megan Steele, megan.steele@sierraclub.org
TRENTON, NJ -- Governor Murphy just pulled one of his three recent Pinelands Commission nominees. Even though he pulled Elvin Montero, Deputy Director of the NJ Chemistry Council, he is still pushing forward with two more lobbyists to replace Pinelands Commissioners with years of service and strong environmental credentials.
The new nominees are: Laura Matos, Managing Director and General Manager of Kivvit; and Davon McCurry, Deputy Head of Market and Government Affairs at Orsted. They would be replacing Rick Prickett, a retired science teacher who has worked his whole life to protect the Pinelands, and D’Arcy Rohan Green, a long-time advocate for Barnegat Bay and the Pinelands.
In 2019, the governor nominated three environmental stewards to the Pinelands Commission. These nominees, Jennifer Coffey of the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions; Jessica Sanchez, formerly of the Delaware River Basin Committsion; and Theresa Lettman, a former staffer at the Pinelands Alliance, are still waiting to be voted on by the Senate.
“It’s extremely disappointing that Governor Murphy waited until after the election to nominate these industry lobbyists for the Pinelands Commission. He’s trying to push them through the lame duck legislative session, which goes against everything he’s promised. Meanwhile, the two good nominees that he put forward in 2019 are still waiting to be voted on by the Senate,” said Anjuli Ramos-Busot, director of the Sierra Club New Jersey Chapter. “If the governor really cares about protecting the Pinelands, he needs to make sure that his original nominees - Jennifer Coffey, Jessica Sanchez, and Theresa Lettman - are appointed.”