As we celebrate the New Year and look forward to 2020, we look back at how eventful the past year has been. With the generous support of our members and others, we have had many accomplishments at the state, local, and national level. In addition to everything we have accomplished this year, we still have a lot that we are trying to get done.
In 2020, we will be focusing on addressing the climate urgency and New Jersey’s water quality problems. With your help, we will push for 100% renewable energy by 2035 and zero carbon by 2050, creating a coastal commission and fixing CAFRA rules, making sure we get lead and other toxic chemicals out of our schools and homes, and ending the bear hunt.
Delaware Water Gap. Sierra Club fought to save Mt. Tammany from a massive dam project in the 1980's.
Environmental Wins
- B.L. England, the last major coal-powered plant in New Jersey, closed after more than 50 years of burning fossil fuels
- The DEP purchased Holley Farm, a vital ecologically important area in the Pine Barrens and Delaware Bayshore forest region, after a 20 year battle to protect it
- The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled that the PennEast Pipeline cannot use state lands. This will delay the project for at least two years and could possibly stop it or cause it to be rerouted
- BPU granted the state’s first offshore wind solicitation of 1,100 megawatts to Ørsted, setting the record for the single largest award for offshore wind in the U.S
- Governor Murphy raised New Jersey’s offshore wind goal to 7,500 megawatts by 2035
- Keegan Landfill in Kearny and Silver Spruce Drive in Vernon will finally be cleaned up after illegal dumping of materials by NJSEA in Kearny and Joseph Wallace in Vernon.
Environmental Battles Still in Progress
- We are trying to get S2252 (Smith/Greenstein) passed in lame duck. The bill would set up EV charging infrastructure in New Jersey.
- We are also pushing to get S2776 (Smith/Greenstein) passed in lame duck. This bill would comprehensively ban plastic across the state
- Murphy has made three nominations to the Highlands Council and five nominations to the Pinelands Commission, but the Senate has yet to vote to appoint the nominations
- The Pinelands Commission has failed have a full quorum to vote on withdrawing their approval for South Jersey Gas’s pipeline
- The DEP has denied permits for Williams Transco’s Northeast Supply Enhancement Project (NESE) three times without prejudice, but the Transco keeps reapplying
Pinelands National Reserve
As we gear up for the upcoming year we must remember the challenges we will be facing in 2020. Climate change is happening faster than we expected, and New Jersey is one of the most affected states in the nation. The DEP released a report showing that sea levels could rise as high as 8.8 feet over 2000 levels in New Jersey by 2100.
With your continued support, we will continue fighting for a moratorium on new fossil fuel projects in New Jersey. At the beginning of the year, we will be pushing to get legislation like the plastic ban, S2776 (Smith/Greenstein), and the EV bill, S2252 (Smith/Greenstein), through the Legislature's lame duck session. Our 2020 legislative priorities include:
- 100% renewable energy by 2035
- Zero carbon by 2050
- Creating a Coastal Commission
- Fixing the Coastal Area Facility Review Act (CAFRA)
- Getting lead and other toxic chemicals out of our schools and homes
- Cleaning up our lakes, streams, and managing our stormwater
- Ending the bear hunt and transitioning to an effective bear management plan
Long Branch, NJ | © Taylor McFarland Photography
We can’t do it without you! If you would like to make a donation to the New Jersey Sierra Club, you can do so online here. Your entire contribution will go directly towards environmental work here in New Jersey. We are tremendously thankful for our supporters whether it has been volunteering their time, rallying for the environment, or contributing financially to the New Jersey Sierra Club.