Happy Holidays! Welcome to Clean Water on the Move, your monthly update from Clean Water Action and Clean Water Fund. Take a look at what our amazing staff has been up to and what is coming in the month ahead. Thanks for your ongoing support for our work towards a healthy environment for all. To support our work this holiday season, visit www.CleanWater.org/NJYearEnd
Resisting Environmental Injustice: Kim Gaddy and X Braithwaite Oppose Newark’s Zoning Changes
In a pivotal moment for environmental justice, Kim Gaddy, National Environmental Justice Director, and X Braithwaite, Environmental Justice Organizer, took a stand at the Newark Municipal Council's public hearing on the proposed Replacement Zoning.
The community, deeply concerned about the potential exacerbation of environmental injustice, gathered to voice their objections to the legislation that could weaken safeguards against predatory, polluting, and problematic developments in their neighborhoods.
The November meeting saw a two-hour-long public hearing, where impassioned residents, developers, and community leaders, including Gaddy and Braithwaite, articulated their perspectives on the proposed zoning changes. Despite overwhelming opposition, the City Council approved the controversial measure with a 5-3 vote, disregarding Kim Gaddy's impassioned request for a delay in the decision. "We're not there yet," Gaddy emphasized. "We cannot vote on this today. We need to take a pause, pump the brakes, and side with the community for once, municipal council." The refusal to heed this plea highlights the urgent need for continued advocacy and community involvement to ensure equitable and sustainable development in Newark.
ReThink Disposable Reduces Plastic While Providing Healthier Food to the Homebound
Meals on Wheels programs in New Jersey are beginning to convert to giving people fresh fruit instead of fruit soaked in sugary juices within a 4-ounce plastic container! New Jersey’s Zero Waste Specialist, Marta Young, is working with two emergency relief facilities who provide meals to the homebound in Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Over 1,500 homebound people will be eating healthier food on a daily basis while eliminating 1.5 million single-use plastic items (approximately 6,000 pounds) annually from the waste stream which pollutes our land and water. Learn more about our ReThink Disposable program here.
Help us Pass NJ Warehouse Bills!
With the passing of the recent elections and lame duck session in full swing, it is critical that we continue to pressure NJ’s current elected leaders to address the growing concern of warehouse development. The election may be over, but warehouse development unfortunately is not.
In a previous blog, I mentioned my efforts in working with local residents like Sue Kozel of Upper Freehold Township, to stop a proposed warehouse project that is on a historic Revolutionary War site. We have been working with Assemblyman Sauickie, who has been deeply concerned about addressing warehouse development in his district and has proposed a myriad of warehouse bills. Together, we made a Community Guide: Warehouse Bill Packet to get community members within Upper Freehold and beyond to reach out to key state legislators and urge them to pass A5677. A5677 would not only help reject the proposed warehouse project in Upper Freehold , but also preserve other historic Revolutionary sites threatened by warehouse development.
Take action today! Let’s get bill A5677 passed during lame duck! Remember to review the Community Guide: Warehouse Bill Packet which outlines other warehouse bills and who to contact to get them passed. To get involved, click one of the links above or contact Tolani Taylor.
On the Ground Fighting for Clean Energy
As part of a larger coalition effort, Empower NJ- No Fossil Fuel Projects and along with New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance (NJEJA) and Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC), Clean Water Action and its staff joined 60+ energy activists in a rally outside the State House in Trenton calling for passage of a clean energy bill (S2978) being heard in Senate Energy Committee. At one of longest hearings ever (over 4.5 hours with no breaks), we offered strengthening amendments to a bill that is already heading in the right direction. The bill is expected to be reported out of committee on December 18th. In the meantime, NJ Senator Bob Smith and Clean Water Action and its allies will work together to make S2978 even better.
CLEAN WATER IN THE NEWS
