For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Jackie.Greger@sierraclub.org
NJDEP must be Adequately Funded & Staffed to protect NJ’s Environment
Trenton, NJ – Yesterday, NJDEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette testified to the Senate on the Department’s budget for the 2024 fiscal year, after testifying last Monday to the Assembly. Governor Murphy proposes a $289.34 million budget for DEP—an increase of $21.3 million over DEP’s FY23 enacted budget. In FY24, Governor Murphy has proposed increases for state urban parks, shore and flood protection, and wildlife management, while continuing critical investments in water infrastructure through state and federal funding recommendations.
Anjuli Ramos-Busot, NJ Director for the Sierra Club, released the following statement:
“Governor Murphy has the goals for shore and flood protection, critical water infrastructure, clean energy, pollution reduction, implementation of environmental justice and more but the NJDEP needs the resources and staff to implement those goals. We urge the Legislature to provide a reasonable source of funding so that the NJDEP can achieve what we ask of them.”
“The programs and actions conducted by the NJDEP are crucial to the sustainable protection of NJ’s environment. The Department needs enough funding to hire the staff necessary to implement important programs and manage state and federal funds that support the work of protecting our air, water, and lands. The Governor has issued $289 million for the 2024 budget, but in order to effectively manage New Jersey’s public lands and protect the state from a changing climate, $380 million (the Department’s 2005 budget with inflation) is needed. This is a $91 million deficit based on inflation alone and leaves out the funds needed for the countless new programs and laws to be implemented by the Department. Much more than that is needed.
“Governor Murphy is allotting $16 million for parks, but this number fails to meet that which is needed to adequately manage our state’s 1 million acres of parks, forests, and open space. This number is especially lacking due to the NJDEP’s plans to revitalize the treasured Liberty State Park in Jersey City, a project that would require unique staff and funding to ensure it is done effectively. LaTourette asserted that with a $720 million deficit on capital costs, the maintenance cost for parks is not the same as the operational cost that comes from entrance fees. Because of this, we urge the Legislature to increase spending on public parks for FY 2024.
“The NJDEP also needs a sufficient budget in order to oversee responsible forest management across the state, which is severely lacking. There is a blatant need for increased forest regulations, as evidenced in the recent clearcutting of 21 acres at Glassboro Wildlife Management Area in March. This should never have happened and we cannot afford to continue to budget for obsolete and destructive projects due to a failure of protocol and staffing.
“Water Infrastructure needs in New Jersey is a costly task, from renovating our water infrastructure to separate combined sewage systems, cleaning up superfund sites, taking to court egregious polluters of 1,4-dioxane and thousands of PFAS chemicals currently severely contaminating our drinking water. The total cost of improving New Jersey’s water infrastructure is $30 billion. It’s critical that the legislature allocates funding towards protecting our clean water.
“Additionally, the NJDEP’s Inland Flood Rules must be implemented and their Coastal counterparts must be quickly proposed in order to meet the urgency of a changing climate in New Jersey as dangerous flood zones expand. There must be sufficient funds for the Department to move on these regulations so that NJ can adapt before the water rises any higher.
“It’s critical that the New Jersey Legislature allocate enough funding to the NJDEP so that they can effectively protect our air, our water, and our open space. It’s too important for the health of our environment and public health.”
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