Governor Murphy Earns High Marks on Environment in First 100 Days

TRENTON, NJ- New Jersey League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (New Jersey LCV Ed Fund), a statewide organization dedicated to preserving our environment, released its Murphy Administration Environmental Tracker today to highlight Governor Murphy’s first 100 days in office. Last year, the New Jersey LCV Ed Fund conducted Green in ’17, a robust education and public engagement effort with the goal of elevating environmental issues in the 2017 gubernatorial election.

New Jersey League of Conservation Voters Education Fund’s Executive Director Ed Potosnak said, “Governor Murphy’s first 100 days has been a whirlwind of pro-environmental actions, propelling New Jersey back to a leadership position to become the greenest state in America. Right now, on the governor’s desk sits a bill requiring New Jersey to achieve over 50 percent renewable energy by 2030, a great down payment for the Governor Murphy’s commitment to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050.”

The Fund highlighted several of the Governor’s accomplishments in his first 100 days, including:

• An executive order to reenter New Jersey into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI)
• Opposing fossil fuel exploration off our coasts by making the STOP Act law
• Issuing an executive order joining with several other states to prevent fracking in the Delaware River Basin
• Joining the U.S. Climate Alliance, demonstrating New Jersey’s commitment to meeting Paris Climate Accord goals
• Committing to the highest wind production in the nation, 3,500MW of clean renewable offshore wind energy
• Incorporating environmental issues into the Governor’s inaugural and budget addresses including achieving 100 percent clean energy and safeguarding clean drinking water
• Affirming the administration’s commitment to Environmental Justice principles and protection of vulnerable communities
• Writing a letter to FERC opposing the PennEast Pipeline and other actions to halt this pipeline

The New Jersey LCV Ed Fund developed Environmental Agenda ’18 as a roadmap for the new administration to tackle looming environmental threats, dividing goals for the incoming administration to achieve in the first 100 days, first year, and first term. The Fund worked with nearly 30 environmental nonprofit groups to compile a comprehensive outline of priorities reflecting a diverse cross-section of New Jersey’s environmental community.

The New Jersey LCV Ed Fund’s Agenda ’18 is an aggressive set of targets for the Murphy Administration, the progress of which can be seen on our online Murphy Administration Environmental Tracker (NJLCVEF.org/Agenda18). Governor Murphy accomplished many of the goals set up by the Fund and some of the items not fully completed are in progress, indicated by time clock. Blank circles indicate items that are not currently in progress according to publicly available information.

The Fund’s Board Chair Cindy Ehrenclou explained, “Green in ’17 was an enormous statewide public education initiative for the environment. We are pleased our hard work to set this aggressive agenda continues to see measureable results in this 100-day report.”

“It’s clear Governor Murphy has made the environment a priority in his first 100 days, earning him high marks for his quick actions to turn around the state 180 degrees from Chris Christie’s toxic legacy and put it on a pro-conservation trajectory,” said Ed Potosnak. “Clearly Governor Murphy has taken quick decisive action to clean up our air and water earning him an outstanding grade of A- with room to improve. In particular, we would like to see funding at the NJ Department of Environmental Protection increased and an end to diversions of the Clean Energy Fund.”

The Fund is also highlighting the following priorities for the First-Year Report:

• Authorize the establishment of voluntary stormwater utilities
• Strengthen the Highlands Council and Pinelands Commission with appointees who support the goals and objectives of the Pinelands and Highlands Acts
• Begin process of revising the Energy Master Plan to transition to 100% clean renewable energy by 2050
• Update, revise, and re-propose the 2017 draft state Water Supply Plan
• Support implementation legislation for the CBT open space funds
• Increase funding and bring staffing at the NJDEP to 3,200

About the Fund: The New Jersey League of Conservation Voters Education Fund educates, empowers and mobilizes residents to engage in the democratic process to advance strong environmental solutions. We provide policymakers and opinion leaders with sound, objective, non-partisan information that encourages actions that safeguard the environment now and for future generations.