NJ bill would make corporate polluters pay
Credit: (Madison Miller/NJ State House News Service)This story was originally published by the nonprofit New Jersey State House News Service. NJ Spotlight News and New Jersey State House News Service are part of a collaborative of news organizations working together to provide comprehensive climate change coverage for New Jersey.
To the delight of young environmental activists — and disappointment of opposing Republicans — the Assembly environment committee on March 10 released legislation to make corporate polluters pay for climate change-related damage to natural resources.
The bill (A-4696), known as the Climate Superfund Act, drew more than 100 supporters to Trenton to rally before the vote. Young environmentalists were a large part of the crowd outside the State House and during debate on the bill.
Olivia Muchowski, a bright green-haired Rowan College film student, traveled from Florence to hold a sign that read: “DON’T BE A FOSSIL FOOL SAVE OUR PLANET.”
“A lot of the people that are voting on this bill are probably triple my age and won’t have to deal with the long-term effects in the next 50, 60 years. But I will, because I’m 19, so I’m going to live through the environmental crisis that they are creating,” Muchowski said in an interview.
Penalizing polluters
The bill seeks to compel corporate polluters, particularly fossil fuel companies, to compensate the state Department of Environmental Protection for climate change and resilience projects.
The penalties would apply, according to the bill’s statement, to entities responsible for at least 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from Jan. 1, 1995, through Dec. 31, of the year the bill takes effect.
Credit: (Madison Miller/NJ State House News Service)The bill was released from committee with a vote of 5-2, with Republicans opposing.
“The bill says certain fossil fuel companies are liable for certain damages,” said Assemblyman Michael Inganamort, a Republican from Chester Township. “Which companies and what are certain damages? I feel like we need names and numbers.”
Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger, a Republican from Middletown, said changes in New Jersey would do little worldwide.
“We’re holding specific companies responsible in New Jersey for climate change that holistically, if you look at it, is a global phenomenon,” Scharfenberger said.
‘Someone needs to pay’
Some young adults who attended the meeting said they became aware of the issue after activist Ben Dziobek posted a video encouraging young people to testify at the hearing. The snippet went viral with 31,000 views.
“This is about making sure that my generation, Gen Z and future generations don’t have to pay for climate disasters,” Dziobek, executive director of Climate Revolution Action Network, a group of Gen Z pro-environment New Jerseyans, said in an interview. “The ‘oil-garghs’ and the oligarchs and the billionaires don’t want this to get passed because they don’t want to pay. They want us to pay.”
Dziobek said the bill could spell economic relief for taxpayers who finance local cleanups after natural disasters linked to climate change.
“It’s time to stop hurting local businesses who can’t reopen after a flood, right?” Dziobek said.
“Someone needs to pay, and it’s not going to be working-class people.”