For Immediate Release: March 5, 2019
Contact: Norah Langweiler, NJ Work Environment Council, (609) 214-5110
Governor Murphy gave his 2020 Budget Address this afternoon, a far-ranging speech on opportunities for growth and change that will ensure a secure future for New Jerseyans.
We are glad to hear to the governor is planning to invest in New Jersey Transit with an additional $25 million into the pot for a total of $407 million and keep fares fair for transit riders. These are good first steps and it is essential to our future and health that some of that budget will go towards modernizing NJ Transit through electrification programs.
Although not mentioned in the budget address, NJ is the most vulnerable state in the country to climate change. Risks like sea level rise, major flooding, and massive storms will require large-scale planning, resilience projects, and careful forethought to mitigate and manage, as well as the funding to ensure implementation of those plans. Governor Murphy gave a brief nod to $70 million in projects through the Clean Energy Fund but did not address whether the oft-raided fund will continue to be used as a tool to balance other areas of NJ’s budget.
Jersey Renews will continue to advocate for Clean Energy Funds to be invested in projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and not used to balance the budget.
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