By Jeff Tittel
As NJ’s coronavirus rates go down, Gov. Phil Murphy is looking at reopening the state. His task force needs to look at a green reopening plan. The health emergency has given people a new understanding of the importance of family, protecting the environment, reducing air pollution, and enjoying the outdoors.
This is a chance to heal New Jersey’s environment and move us toward restoration, clean energy, adapting to climate change, and fixing outdated regulations. Our state needs a plan that looks at improving the quality of life, public health, and the environment, especially in areas that are overburdened by pollution.
New Jersey is dealing with the coronavirus now, but we’re also facing the longer-term threat of climate change. The health emergency has been a wake-up call to the public, and we’re seeing societal changes from it. We have seen the benefits of people driving less and having cleaner air. Greenhouse gases have dropped dramatically and clean energy overtook coal-generated electricity. This could be the future if we keep moving toward 100% renewable energy, zero-carbon, and energy efficiency. We need to rebuild our economy our institutions, especially healthcare, education, and the environment. In the process, we need to make sure progress on reducing pollution isn’t erased.
Murphy’s ‘Road Back Plan’ can be a Green New deal for New Jersey. We can create more jobs and stimulate the economy by encouraging research and development, manufacturing, and installation of renewable energy and electric vehicles. Rebuilding our economy needs to be done in an equitable way that supports public health and our environment. The plan should addressworker protection, affordable housing, removing lead from drinking water, and protecting overburdened Environmental Justice communities. A recent Harvard study linked air pollution to coronavirus risk. We need stricter rules and regulations, but we also need to make sure that the jobs and benefits go into these communities.
The coronavirus pandemic has taught us about the importance of family, community, and public service. More people are going outside to bike, walk, and enjoy nature. We should build on this sense of community by creating more public green spaces like urban parks and bike trails. During the pandemic people have become more involved in the community and helping others. We can expand upon that with community service programs, especially if we get federal funds. Programs like the Civilian Conservation Corps Camps, AmeriCorps and VISTA would help get young people involved in healthcare, education, and helping the less fortunate.
We have the chance to initiate major changes for how we do business, to protect our environment and to mitigate climate impacts. This will help safeguard our future while creating more jobs and stimulating the economy. Murphy’s plan should include environmental restoration and green infrastructure in urban areas. We can upgrade our drinking water and sewer systems, retrofit urban areas for stormwater management, and install green roofs and rain gardens to help prevent Combined Sewer Overflow. We can also restore our ecosystem by protecting forests and rehabilitating wetlands and stream corridors.
In the rush to reopen, the environment may get short-changed. Murphy’s task force is full of lobbyists, and there are pro-developer bills in the Legislature. The reopening might be used to fast-track permits and relax standards. Instead, we need to strengthen rules and regulations and to get rid of the rollbacks of environmental rules.
New Jersey should expand mass transit and make roads more pedestrian and bike-friendly, instead they the state is widening the New Jersey Turnpikeand building a power plant in the Meadowlands. Murphy should also get rid ofExecutive Orders limiting public oversight for fossil fuel projects. After every crisis, special interests try to weaken environmental protections. This pandemic shows that we need to go in the opposite direction.
As Governor Murphy starts to reopen our economy, we need to move forward instead of backward when it comes to the best interest of the public and environment. Our water should be clean to drink, our air clean to breathe, and our food safe to eat. We need to ensure our environment and health is maintained now and for future generations.
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of both the Department of Environmental Protection and Earth Day, we need to look at the next 50 years. After every great upheaval, like the Civil War, Great Depression, and WWII, there’s a chance to change society for the better. We have that chance again. The pandemic can shift the paradigm to help New Jersey become greener and more equitable. This is our time.
Jeff Tittel is the director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.
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New Jersey’s reopening plan should be green - NJ.com
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