
The outgoing administration has prioritized economic development at the expense of the public and the environment. If long-term economic vitality and prosperity are goals to be achieved in New Jersey, environmental quality, public health and safety and support for the state’s most vulnerable communities must take precedence.
Over the course of the outgoing administration, the use of planning has fallen by the wayside. The State Development and Redevelopment Plan provides the framework yet has not been updated for 16 years. Therefore, many land use decisions are currently based on obsolete information. As the most densely populated state in the country, New Jersey will likely be fully developed by the year 2050. A blueprint must be followed to navigate the course to New Jersey’s bright future.
Recommendations
- Strengthen commissions, councils, committees
- Take action to plan for an environmentally-sound future
- Articulate environmental priorities
First 100 Days
-- Achieving 100 percent clean energy
-- Safeguarding clean drinking water
-- Prioritizing open space