November 14, 2024, was a day of appreciation for supporters of the New Jersey Chapter of the Sierra Club. A year-end awards dinner was held at Maddy Rose Restaurant on the waterfront at Liberty State Park in Jersey City.
NJ Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Shawn LaTourette received National Sierra Club’s Environmental Achievement Award for his outstanding efforts in protecting and preserving Liberty State Park. Sierra Club Executive Director Ben Jealous and NJ Lieutenant Gov. Tahesha Way presented the award.
“New Jersey continues to set a powerful example for the rest of the nation when it comes to holding polluters accountable, pushing advances in clean energy and clean transportation, and protecting public lands and access to nature,” Jealous said.
LaTourette has held the line against privately funded groups who sought to turn Liberty State Park into a for-profit sports and entertainment complex. He has spearheaded a robust stakeholder process involving the communities around Jersey City, hearing directly what they would like to happen at the park. He has also guided the DEP’s plans to restore the park and make it more resilient to climate change.
This year’s Environmental Champion Award recipients were Sen. Bob Smith and Sen. Raj Mukherji. The work of these leaders, along with grassroots activists across the Garden State, is improving health for New Jersey residents and helping to ensure America’s clean energy future, which is vital for a livable planet and for creating jobs and prosperity for working families.
“The New Jersey Sierra Club is so pleased to celebrate outstanding environmental leadership in the state,” said Sierra Club NJ Chapter Director Anjuli Ramos-Busot.
The speakers said it was discouraging that the new administration would very likely roll back hard-won environmental protections at a time when the planet is deeply imperiled by global warming, but they noted the fight is not over and encouraged Sierra Club members and the public to join in.
“State and local efforts made possible by advocates like those at the Sierra Club will be all the more important to ensure New Jersey remains a leader in clean energy and our citizens are guaranteed a safe, healthy environment,” Smith said.
Mukherji said he, too, had no intention of easing up on his efforts to protect the environment. “I will always fight for sustainability and for our planet as if my children’s futures depend on it—because they do,” he said.
NJ Chapter Transportation Committee Chair Bill Beren received the Volunteer of the Year Award. Beren also leads the Gateway Group. Central Jersey Group Conservation Chair Kip Cherry, who is also a dedicated member of several issue committees, received the Ken Johanson Lifetime Achievement Award.
“Congratulations to Bill Beren and Kip Cherry,” said Chapter Chair Rich Isaac. “I have seen the countless hours put in, passion, and dedication in both of them to keep New Jersey safe and clean for future generations.”
Also, Carrie Rapaport gave a talk in honor of her late father Jeff Rapaport, who contributed to Sierra Club advocacy on many levels over many years.