NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – At an event to tout his clean energy goals, climate activists challenged Governor Murphy to stop issuing permits for new fossil fuel infrastructure projects.

(Photos and Video available here  – credit Food & Water Watch)

Several high-profile projects are facing imminent deadlines with state regulators. If approved, these projects would create substantial new sources of climate pollution, and put the state further away from its own climate goals. 

Food & Water Watch New Jersey State Director Matt Smith issued the following statement: 

“Governor Murphy continues to assert that his climate record stacks up against any other state leader in the country. But at a time of worsening droughts, floods, heat waves and sea level rise, Governor Murphy is not asserting his authority to stop new fossil fuel projects, with 6 projects already approved and another 7 currently pending permit decisions. 

“You cannot tout your clean energy goals and build new sources of dirty energy at the same time. WIth fossil fuel projects being planned from one end of the state to the other, it’s time for Governor Murphy to act like the climate leader he pretends to be. There is no need for costly, unnecessary dirty energy projects that threaten our air, water and climate. 

“Governor Murphy must respond to the climate crisis by putting an end to new fossil fuel projects, enforce his executive order to cut climate pollution in half by the end of the decade, and move the state towards a more rapid shift to 100 percent truly clean renewable energy sources.”