 New Jersey plans to use money from a regional plan to reduce greenhouse gas pollution to fund clean energy projects, protect the health of citizens and prepare coastal communities to better weather future storms and rising seas, according to a Friday, April 17 announcement by Gov. Phil Murphy.
The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and Economic Development Authority (EDA) released a strategic funding plan for investing the state’s auction proceeds from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the cap-and-trade pact among northeastern states dedicated to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the electricity generating sector. New Jersey plans to invest an estimated $80 million each year in programs that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, drive forward projects that boost clean energy and create jobs, protect the health of residents in environmental justice communities and increase the resiliency of coastal communities. New Jersey’s renewed participation in RGGI and the investment of proceeds into the clean energy economy and climate change mitigation are key components of the Murphy Administration’s interconnected environmental and economic development goals. In addition, funds from the RGGI auctions will be heavily dedicated to projects that will benefit the state’s environmental justice communities. The American Littoral Society applauds the governor's action, which comes in part through the Global Warming Solutions Act, which the Society helped craft more than a decade ago.  Dear Littoral Society Members and Supporters:
The power of our coastal community and the beauty of our coastal environment remain evident even in the midst of this enormous public health crisis. Though we are separated for a time, many draw hope and strength from memories of time spent together on boardwalks and beaches watching waves and wildlife. In this time of social distancing, many are rediscovering how important it is to have open spaces where we can walk, listen and breathe with family or in solitude. That this comes with the advent of Spring, with its traditional themes of life renewed, brings added joy and melancholy. For those involved with the Littoral Society, the coast and its wonders unite us because we have worked together to protect and restore them. We build reefs and living shorelines, tag fish and horseshoe crabs, take walks and do cleanups because we want to share our enjoyment of bays, estuaries and the ocean while also preserving those experiences for future generations.  Next year will be a bit brighter for sharks, as New Jersey joins the growing list of states that have banned the shark fin trade. New Jersey's long-awaited shark fin ban will go into effect on January 1, 2021.
The law, which was signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy in January of this year, is intended to end the shark fin trade, which kills approximately 100 million sharks each year. "The American Littoral Society and numerous other organizations worked toward this goal for years, as we watched the decline of shark populations in the oceans," said Tim Dillingham, Executive Director of the Littoral Society. "New Jersey has now joined the other states that have already taken action to end the terrible practice." |
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