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Four Decades
Clean Air Campaign
NJ Environmental Federation is working to help clean up New Jersey's air, particularly reducing diesel emissions and vehicle idling and improving our ports.
Clean Air Campaigns
Clean Air Facts
- Despite improved federal standards that have led to cleaner air quality over the years, New Jersey still has a long way to go. In 2010, the American Lung Association flunked the entire state of New Jersey for not meeting federal air pollution standards in its most recent "State of the Air" report card.
- Although the Newark and New York City area was removed from its list of 25 cities with the worst levels of year-round particulate pollution, the report ranked this area, as well as the Camden, Vineland and Philadelphia area, as among the Top 25 cities with the most 24-hour periods when particle pollution exceeded federal limits. People still suffer health problems even when briefly exposed to high levels of ozone and particle pollution.
- New Jersey faces the nation's second greatest cancer risk from diesel soot emissions (Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data). According to UMDNJ, treatment for asthma alone accounts for 12 percent of New Jersey's managed care costs.
- Vehicle exhaust is the #1 source of hazardous air pollution in New Jersey (Source: NJDEP).
- In September 2009, a new report by the Clean Air Task Force found that out of state coal plant pollution causes thousands of premature deaths each year and New Jersey was among the worst. The report evaluated the death and disease from coal-fired power plants breaking down the data by state, metropolitan area, county, and power plant.
Clean Air Victories
- In 2008, New Jersey and ten other states passed the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the first program in the U.S. to require power sector polluters to pay for their carbon dioxide pollution. This requires New Jersey and the ten other participating states to cap CO2 emissions from their power sector at 118 million tons starting in 2009, and will require a 10 percent reduction in these emissions by 2018.
- Through our Idle Free New Jersey campaign, we have helped numerous communities pass "Idle Free Zone" policies to reduce vehicle idling in their community, workplace, and schools (Jackson Twp, Red Bank, to name a few).
Publications
- Diesel Brochure (218 kb, pdf)
- Diesel Fact Sheet- New Jersey (37 kb, pdf)
- Diesel Fact Sheet - National (pdf, 1.1 MB)
- Kids Clean Air Zones presentation (3.6 mb, pdf)
- The Diesel Emissions Reduction Resolution (59 kb, pdf)
- No Escape from Diesel Exhaust (pdf)
- Diesel Hot Spots: Snapshot of Newark, NJ (pdf)
- Diesel Health in America: The Lingering Threat, New Jersey Summary (24 kb, pdf)
Press Releases
- NJEF Praises One-Year Anniversary of the Los Angeles Clean Truck Program
- Newark City Councilmen Oppose Covanta's Plans for More Trash & Pollution
- NJ's 3 leading environmental groups praise NJDEP action vs. PA coal plant
- Environmental Justice Activists Show More Needs To Be Done Against Dirty Diesel
- National Report Reveals No Escape for Commuters from Diesel Danger
- Environmental Justice Activists Show More Needs To Be Done Against Dirty Diesel
Actions
News
- Christie calls on Port Authority to take 360K N.Y. trash trucks off N.J. roads
- Linden Council Votes No on Plan to Build PurGen Coal Plant!
- N.J. DEP acts to reduce pollution from Pa. power plant drifting into Warren County
- NJ Coal Plants Face Cleanups and Closures
- New sulfur rules will cut smog, help N.J. meet air quality standards
- Clearing the Air at American Ports
- N.J. spews key pollutant at record rate
- Toxic Emissions Up In Bergen, Down In Passaic
- Environmentalists seek ban on owner-operated diesel trucks at N.J. port
- Camden County trash authority faces financial, environmental heat
- Environmentalists Seek Pollution Cap
- U.S., Canada Seek Pollution Buffer Zone
- Killing at the Seaport: Port Pollution a Silent Killer
- Monmouth one of 13 counties with too-sooty air
- Fog Over Clean Air