New Jersey is just one of the 48 U.S. states that fails to recognize and protect the right to clean water, clean air and the healthy environments necessary to support healthy lives and economies. New Jersey, along with New York, is also poised to become the next state to recognize and protect this right.
On November 30, I had the honor of joining Assemblyman Tim Eustace, Assemblywoman Nancy J. Pinkin and Asseymblywoman Shavonda E. Sumter to announce proposal of a constitutional amendment to the New Jersey state constitution that would recognize and protect peoples’ environmental rights. On January 9, 2018, Assemblyman Tim Eustace and Assemblywoman Nancy J. Pinkin introduced the bill that would amend the state Constitution and enshrine every New Jerseyan’s “right to a clean and healthy environment, including pure water, clean air, and ecologically healthy habitats,” and to protect these rights for “both present and future generations.”
For decades, the people of New Jersey have relied federal and state legislation to protect their natural resources. And for decades, the laws have let them down. New Jersey water, air, forests, and other special places from the highlands to the pinelands have been allowed to degrade in ways that are harming people’s lives. A Constitutional provision could help change that.
In New Jersey the right to free speech, freedom of religion and other freedoms are protected as fundamental rights in the state constitution. But New Jersey has NO constitutional provision protecting environmental rights in the state.
Right now, we need the NJ Assembly to support and pass Assembly Concurrent Resolution №85 (ACR85) currently before them. Every Assembly member needs to hear how important this environmental rights amendment is from their voters.
If you are from NJ, Click here to write to your representative in the Assembly today and ask them to stand up for your fundamental environmental rights by co-sponsoring ACR85 and actively encouraging legislative leaders to bring up and pass the bill.
To learn more about why we need Green Amendments in NJ and in every state across the nation, check out my new book, The Green Amendment, Securing Our Rights to a Healthy Environment.
To learn more about the NJ proposal and submit a letter go to http://bit.ly/SupportNJACR85
