Proposal for ‘green’ amendment to NJ Constitution spurs intense debate

March 13, 2024 by Maya in News, NJ

Proposal for ‘green’ amendment to NJ Constitution spurs intense debate

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Green Amendments For The Generations

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Press Release: Somerset County Board of Commissioners Passes Resolution Supporting the New Jersey Green AmendmentOn Tuesday, April 8, 2025, the Somerset County Board of Commissioners unanimously agreed to pass a resolution in support of SCR43/ACR119 - the New Jersey Green Amendment. If it gets on the ballot and is passed by voters, the NJ Green Amendment will enshrine every resident’s right to clean air, pure water, a stable climate, and healthy ecosystems in the state constitution, on par with the right to free speech, to bear arms and to assemble.Somerset’s resolution is the result of high school student Mimansa Kumar’s powerful public comment at the April meeting. Kumar is a volunteer leader of the New Jersey Green Amendment Coalition on behalf of the NJ Student Sustainability Coalition (NJSSC). You can hear her statement at minute 40:00 of the livestreamed meeting: somersetcountynj.new.swagit.com/videos/339502.NJSSC members have been working to build support for the Green Amendment for the past five years, hosting online seminars and speaking at events such as the 2024 Youth Climate Justice and Action Summit, the Loving Our Earth Fair in Moorestown, and at numerous local schools and councils. The meeting minutes once posted will be available at www.somersetcountynj.gov/government/elected-officials/county-commissioners/meeting-minutes/-folde....“Somerset County values a clean environment for our residents and shows this commitment through our support of the Green Amendment, our 2021 Climate Change Resolution, and by preserving over 25,000 acres of open space and farmland—with more to come,” said Somerset Commissioner Melonie Marano. “Clean air and water are vital to public health and our local economy, and preserving land also helps protect against flooding.”“We are thrilled to see Somerset County’s leaders responding to the voices of their constituents and showing their commitment to environmental justice,” said Maya van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper and Founder and Leader of Green Amendments For The Generations, the organization leading the effort for constitutional environmental rights nationally, which has helped lead the New Jersey Green Amendment effort since its inception. “Resolutions like this one send a clear message to state legislators: it’s time to schedule hearings and give the public their say on the Green Amendment.”“The climate crisis today is especially threatening to my generation. We are constantly seeing new problems pop up, but not nearly enough solutions. That is why I continue to fight for the Green Amendment—it provides a real tool to mitigate our concerns and protect our future,” said Mimansa Kumar, leader at New Jersey Student Sustainability Coalition. “I and the rest of NJSSC urge our fellow students to join us and learn how to speak to your own local commissions and legislators about this critical bill.”“This resolution is a powerful testament to the strength of young voices and the transformative impact of participation in this movement,” said Rachel Dawn Davis, Public Policy & Justice Organizer for Waterspirit. “Pope Francis reminds us that 'access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival.' The passion and persistence of young advocates like Mimansa Kumar make it clear: the call for environmental justice is no longer a whisper-it is a rising chorus demanding lawmakers act and make the NJ Green Amendment a priority.”“It’s frightening to think about what the future holds for youth today and for the generations who come after them. Unlike laws or regulations that can change with politics, a constitutional right can offer lasting protection,” With federal environmental protections being stripped away, the Green Amendment ensures New Jerseyans have strong, permanent safeguards at the state level.” said Lindsey Kayman, President of the Environmental Education Fund. “With federal environmental protections being stripped away, the Green Amendment ensures New Jerseyans have strong, permanent safeguards at the state level.”Somerset County joins a growing list of local governments and organizations backing the Green Amendment, including the Village of Ridgewood, Borough of Metuchen, Burlington County, Essex County Board of Freeholders, the Sierra Club – New Jersey Chapter, Medical Society of New Jersey, Franklin Township (Somerset and Hunterdon Counties), the Municipality of Princeton, and many others.To learn more about the NJ Green Amendment and how you can get involved, visit www.NJGreenAmendment.org.The Green Amendment, (SCR43/ACR119) would provide the highest level of legal protection for environmental rights but is currently awaiting further hearings in the state legislature.-------------forthegenerations.org/wp-content/uploads/20250416-PR-GAFTG-NJ-Somerset-County-Passes-Resolution.pdf ... See MoreSee Less

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NEW JERSEY GREEN AMENDMENT