For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Jackie.Greger@sierraclub.org
Gov. Murphy Announces Adoption of Environmental Justice Rules, NJ Cannot Wait for Cleaner Air
Trenton, NJ - Yesterday, Governor Murphy announced the final adoptions of rules to implement New Jersey’s trailblazing Environmental Justice (EJ) Law. These rules are the first in the country aimed at reducing pollution in historically low-income and communities of color that have disproportionately been overburdened and vulnerable to negative environmental impacts with severe public health implications.
The EJ rules were developed by the NJDEP and included a robust stakeholdering process, particularly of Environmental Justice communities and groups. Community leaders on the frontlines, health professionals, business leaders, advocates, and activists from across NJ came together to shape the regulations to ensure that they best represent the needs of residents living in environmental justice communities. Key components of the rules include requiring community input and engagement before pollution-generating facilities are allowed in vulnerable areas, identified using data from NJDEP’s Environmental Justice Mapping, Assessment and Protection (EJMAP), and evaluation of pollution with a focus on cumulative impacts. You can learn more about the rules here.
“These rules have been a long time coming for New Jersey, and the New Jersey Sierra Club is pleased to see them finally be adopted. In a State as small, but as densely populated and packed with industry as ours, effective environmental protection is the one that considers cumulative impacts of pollution particularly to the communities already overburdened with it. This rule does just that,” said Anjuli Ramos-Busot, Director of the NJ Sierra Club. “Communities have a right to clean air, water, and access to green space and that right should not waver depending on where you live in the state. It is important that community voices are heard and have a seat at the table in the early stages of the permitting process, not at the end when the permit is about to be approved. We are excited to see NJ take such significant steps to put people before profit and advance environmental justice for all; we are eager for the rule to be implemented as soon as possible, as we cannot afford to wait any longer for cleaner air.”
“Finally after 2 plus years of advocating, rallying, protesting, and pleading, environmental justice communities will receive their reward for a cleaner environment. Inherently, it is a human right afforded to all of us and such a basic necessity to human life. Fossil fuel projects in overburdened communities will no longer be the norm. We have come to an inflection point in New Jersey’s history that realization of public health is a priority irregardless of your zip code. No more profit before people, there is no dollar figure for the value of a human life and we should all be treated as such. We have better solutions to help guide us to a cleaner and sustainable environment such as clean energy renewables, wind, and solar which will benefit environmental justice communities and the entire state population. This is an opportunity to really set the standards for the rest of the country, so let’s continue to move forward together to improving public health and our environment. I look forward to NJDEP implementing this rule and protecting the health of environmental justice communities across the state,” said Renée Pollard, Chair of the NJ Sierra Club’s Environmental and Social Justice Committee.
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