New Jersey

UPDATE:

On October 15, 2018, a bipartisan supermajority of the Senate Environment Committee today passed SCR134, a proposal to amend the New Jersey Constitution’s Declaration of Rights to include environmental rights. The bill, proposed by Senator Linda Greenstein (D-14) as prime and Senator Kip Bateman (R-16) as co-prime, would amend Article 1 of the state constitution to recognize that “Every person has a right to a clean and healthy environment….”, that the State has a duty to serve as trustee of the state’s natural resources, and must conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all people. View the video here.

November 30, 2017,  New Jersey Assemblyman Tim Eustace, joined by Maya van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper, Assemblywoman Pinkin and Assemblywoman Sumpter, announced new legislation that, if passed, would amend Article 1 of the state constitution to recognize that “Every person has a right to a clean and healthy environment….”, that the State has a duty to serve as trustee of the state’s natural resources, and must conserve and maintain them for the benefit of all people.  Since its original proposal there has been significant forward progress.

Assemblywoman Nancy Pinkin is now joined by Assemblyman John McKeon as prime sponsors of ACR 85.  Joining them in sponsoring the bill is Assemblyman Daniel Benson, Assemblywoman Mila Jasey, Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker, and Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson.

On the Senate side we have bi-partisan support. Senator Linda Greenstein (D-14) has led the charge and been joined by Senator Kip Bateman (R-16) to advance SCR134.  On October 15, 2018, a Bipartisan supermajority of the Senate Environment Committee passed SCR134.

For The Generations has been working in partnership with our principle, the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, as well as Clean Water Action, NJ Highlands Coalition, NJ Sierra, Environment NJ, the American Littoral Society, and a team of committed attorneys from the state to lead the effort.

The proposed provision identifies the State as trustee of public natural resources including the water, air, flora, fauna and the climate, and ensures an obligation by government officials to conserve and maintain these resources for the benefit of present and future generations.  Including the proposed language in the New Jersey ensures that the right to clean water, clean air and a healthy environment will be protected as firmly as other essential rights are protected, like the right to free speech, freedom of religion and private property rights.