Arati Kreibich Endorsed by National Environmental Advocacy Group in New Jersey Congressional Race

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – The national advocacy group Food & Water Action is endorsing Arati Kreibich in her campaign to win the Democratic primary to represent New Jersey’s Fifth Congressional district.

Kreibich is challenging incumbent Rep. Josh Gottheimer, who won the seat in 2016.

Kreibich is currently a council member in Glen Rock and has been a staunch grassroots ally in the fight against new polluting fossil fuel infrastructure projects. Unlike Gottheimer, she has committed to supporting a strong Green New Deal, and has staked out strong positions on environmental justice and clean water issues.

Kreibich was part of the community effort that transitioned Glen Rock to 100% clean renewable energy through the creation of a community choice aggregation program. She also championed a municipal resolution opposing the plan to build a massive gas-fired Meadowlands power plant. Gottheimer remained silent on the issue, despite the fact that over a dozen municipalities in his district passed resolutions opposing the project. Gottheimer has drawn criticism over his unwillingness to hold town hall meetings to hear directly from constituents.

Gottheimer’s voting record in Congress makes him one of the strongest supporters of the Trump agenda on the Democratic side; in the 115th Congress, he voted with the White House over 50 percent of the time. In 2017, Gottheimer was one of a small number of Democrats who voted in favor of the Midnight Rules Relief Act, which would have made it easier for the Trump administration to roll back critical ozone regulations and truck emissions rules, as well as water quality standards.

“Crafting bold, aggressive climate policy is the foremost challenge of the next decade, and we need leaders like Arati Kreibich in Congress to make that happen,” said Matt Smith, Food & Water Action’s New Jersey state director. “Arati Kreibich has been fighting dirty energy projects here in New Jersey, and the climate movement needs her to continue that fight in Washington.”

Kreibich is one of six Congressional candidates who have earned Food & Water Action’s endorsement. The group is prioritizing candidates who have committed to supporting a national ban on fracking and halting new fossil fuel infrastructure, supporting a strong Green New Deal, and co-sponsoring the WATER Act – a vital federal bill that would improve our water infrastructure.

Food & Water Action is the political arm of the advocacy group Food & Water Watch, which has been active in New Jersey for a decade.

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