On November 20, 2023, the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance (NJEJA), alongside partner organizations including Ironbound Community Corporation and Clean Water Action, joined forces to rally and testify in Trenton. The focus of our advocacy was Senate Bill S2928, a crucial piece of legislation aimed at achieving 100 percent clean electricity by 2035. However, NJEJA urged for a critical amendment to the definition of “clean” energy, excluding sources that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and toxic co-pollutants like NOx.
Trash incineration, hydrogen combustion, and flawed ‘carbon capture’ technologies are among the sources we sought to exclude from the clean energy definition. The rally and testimonies were integral to emphasize the importance of addressing harmful co-pollutants in climate change mitigation policy and recognizing the need to safeguard overburdened communities through robust legislation.
Melissa Miles, Brooke Helmick, Thomas Ikeda, and Dr. Nicky Sheets passionately testified on behalf of NJEJA, underscoring the urgency of prioritizing public health and environmental justice in clean energy policies. Dozens of environmental justice and climate activists participated in the rally, echoing the call for strong clean energy policies. The collective goal is to combat climate change, protect public health, and promote environmental justice. Activists also voiced their opposition to provisions in the bill that could impede the state’s transition to genuinely clean, non-polluting energy technologies, potentially tethering New Jersey to outdated and polluting fossil fuel practices.
“We want as close to zero emissions as possible,” stated Melissa Miles, Executive Director of the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance, during her testimony. She also criticized a provision in the bill that permits facilities to purchase clean-electricity credits to offset emissions in overburdened communities, emphasizing the need for comprehensive and immediate action to achieve meaningful environmental progress.
Environmental Justice Advocates Rally in Trenton to Push for Real Clean Energy Policy
On November 20, 2023, the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance (NJEJA), alongside partner organizations including Ironbound Community Corporation and Clean Water Action, joined forces to rally and testify in Trenton. The focus of our advocacy was Senate Bill S2928, a crucial piece of legislation aimed at achieving 100 percent clean electricity by 2035. However, NJEJA urged for a critical amendment to the definition of “clean” energy, excluding sources that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and toxic co-pollutants like NOx.
Trash incineration, hydrogen combustion, and flawed ‘carbon capture’ technologies are among the sources we sought to exclude from the clean energy definition. The rally and testimonies were integral to emphasize the importance of addressing harmful co-pollutants in climate change mitigation policy and recognizing the need to safeguard overburdened communities through robust legislation.
Melissa Miles, Brooke Helmick, Thomas Ikeda, and Dr. Nicky Sheets passionately testified on behalf of NJEJA, underscoring the urgency of prioritizing public health and environmental justice in clean energy policies. Dozens of environmental justice and climate activists participated in the rally, echoing the call for strong clean energy policies. The collective goal is to combat climate change, protect public health, and promote environmental justice. Activists also voiced their opposition to provisions in the bill that could impede the state’s transition to genuinely clean, non-polluting energy technologies, potentially tethering New Jersey to outdated and polluting fossil fuel practices.
“We want as close to zero emissions as possible,” stated Melissa Miles, Executive Director of the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance, during her testimony. She also criticized a provision in the bill that permits facilities to purchase clean-electricity credits to offset emissions in overburdened communities, emphasizing the need for comprehensive and immediate action to achieve meaningful environmental progress.
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