In the fiscal year 2024 budget for the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Gov. Phil Murphy has proposed increases in spending for many parks, sure, and wildlife programs, but the amount of money earmarked for falls short of the need and doesn’t account for inflation. The governor has earmarked $289 million for the 2024 budget, but to effectively manage New Jersey’s public lands and protect the state from a changing climate, $380 million is needed. Less money will make it difficult if not impossible to fund the many new programs and laws the state department of Environmental Protection is responsible for.
“Gov. Murphy has the goals for shore and flood protection, critical water infrastructure, clean energy, pollution reduction, implementation of environmental justice and more, but the DEP needs the resources and staff to implement those goals. We urge the Legislature to provide a reasonable source of funding so that the DEP can achieve what we ask of them,” said Sierra Club NJ Chapter Director Anjuli Ramos-Busot.
From renovating our water infrastructure to separate combined sewage systems to cleaning up Superfund sites and taking egregious polluters to court, the DEP must be adequately equipped to serve the public interest. It is critical that the Legislature allocate more funding toward protection of our water resources.