Trenton, N.J. — With chants echoing off the state Capitol steps and handmade signs waving high in the morning sun, environmental advocates, lawmakers, labor leaders, youth organizers and medical professionals gathered Thursday to demand bold climate legislation: 100% clean energy for New Jersey by 2035.
Organized by the New Jersey Sierra Club, New Jersey League of Conservation Voters (LCV) and allied organizations, the rally called on state leaders to back a bill that would codify New Jersey’s transition away from fossil fuels and toward cheaper, renewable sources of energy.
“We are at a critical moment in our state and our nation’s history,” said Ed Potosnak, executive director of the New Jersey LCV. “With Trump launching an all-out assault on our environment, it’s more important than ever that our elected leaders in Trenton double down on a clean energy future that delivers cheaper energy for working families, while ensuring that the air our children and seniors breathe is cleaner.”
A Push to Cement Murphy’s Climate Legacy
In 2023, Governor Murphy signed Executive Order 316, setting a goal for New Jersey to transition to 100% clean electricity by 2035. While the order set an ambitious benchmark, advocates say the time has come to make those targets permanent by passing legislation.
“An executive order can be reversed with the stroke of a pen,” said Anjuli Ramos-Busot, director of the NJ Sierra Club. “Without a law, all the progress we’ve made is vulnerable.”
Murphy himself has called on lawmakers to act, urging the Legislature to enshrine his clean energy goals into state statute. But with his second term ending in 2026, the looming uncertainty of a new administration, particularly if a governor less committed to climate action takes office, has intensified advocates’ urgency.
“This is about protecting the future from political whiplash,” said Dan Quinlan of Clinicians for Climate Action NJ. “New Jersey needs binding legislation that can’t just be erased depending on who wins the next election.”
“This Is a Justice Issue”
Speakers made clear that the transition to clean energy must prioritize New Jersey’s most vulnerable communities, especially communities of color that have long borne the brunt of environmental harm.
“It’s no secret that polluting facilities have historically been placed in Black, brown and low-income neighborhoods,” said Marcus Sibley, Chair of the NJ Progressive Equitable Energy Coalition (NJPEEC). “The urgent need for clean energy isn’t just environmental—it’s about justice, health, and survival.”
Chloe Desir of the Ironbound Community Corporation added that passing the legislation would directly benefit areas like Newark’s Ironbound, where residents have battled poor air quality and industrial pollution for decades.
“Our communities deserve clean air, good jobs, and affordable energy—not more sacrifice,” she said. “This bill can deliver that.”
Responding to Washington’s Rollbacks
The rally also served as a direct counterpoint to what many see as a rollback of national climate progress under former President Donald Trump’s renewed push for oil and gas.
“New Jersey must act now to protect residents from Washington’s pro-fossil fuel agenda,” said Anna Muller of the Climate Revolution Action Network. “A transition to 100% clean energy by 2035 is not extreme—it’s the bare minimum. It’s about reclaiming our right to clean air and putting power back in the hands of people, not polluters.”
When asked whether this bill was a response to federal policy, multiple advocates were direct: “Absolutely.” David Temple, New Jersey Working Group Lead for Third Act, put it bluntly: “Trump is doubling down on fossil fuels, so New Jersey must double down on the future.”
Health, Cost and Climate on the Line
The rally featured not just environmentalists, but public health experts and medical students who say the stakes are life or death.
“There is no denying that the health of New Jerseyans is inextricably linked to our environment,” said Molly McGroary, a medical student at Rutgers NJ Medical School. “Air pollution affects every system in the body. A step toward clean energy is a step toward public health.”
Dan Quinlan of Clinicians for Climate Action NJ pointed to a rise in asthma cases, heat-related illnesses, and other climate-linked conditions: “The health care community supports this bill because we see the consequences of dirty energy every day.”
Potosnak and others noted that transitioning to renewables isn’t just good for the environment—it’s good for wallets.
“Renewable energy is already the cheapest form of power,” he said. “This bill would protect consumers from volatile fossil fuel prices and create good-paying union jobs.”
Building Momentum in Trenton
Lawmakers in attendance echoed that urgency and pledged their support.
“As the prime sponsor of the Clean Energy legislation, I am proud to be working with NJ LCV to urge its passage,” said state Sen. Bob Smith (D-Middlesex). “We need more letters and pressure on leadership to get this bill over the finish line.”
State Sen. Linda Greenstein (D-Middlesex) called it “a defining moment” and warned that climate change is already devastating communities through rising sea levels and extreme weather. Assemblywoman Alixon Collazos-Gill framed the bill as “essential,” not optional: “This is about building a healthier, more equitable future.”
Still, some advocates acknowledged the political headwinds in passing the legislation during a divided time.
“We’re building bipartisan support by showing this is about economic opportunity, public health, and common-sense policy,” said Anjuli Ramos-Busot, Director of the NJ Sierra Club. “Everyone wants affordable energy and clean air—this bill delivers both.”
“Not Doing Enough—Yet”
When asked if the state is doing enough, the answer from many was: not yet. “New Jersey has taken some steps, but this bill is how we actually lock in progress,” said Annie Foo, a clean energy fellow and youth climate activist. “We’ve waited long enough. Our communities—and our generation—deserve action.”
What’s Next?
Advocates are urging residents to contact their legislators and demand swift passage of the clean energy bill. With Trump-era policies threatening to stall progress at the federal level, they say the state must lead where Washington won’t.
“This is New Jersey’s chance to lead, not lag,” said Potosnak. “Let’s get it done.”