We the undersigned represent six New Jersey Indivisible groups with a membership of 3,000 active and concerned voters. We are writing to express our concern about the Chemours/DuPont Exemption Bill (A3116).
The Chemours/DuPont hazardous waste facility on the Delaware River is one of the worst polluters in our state’s history, identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as the largest discharger of hazardous waste for years, as illustrated by DuPont’s Pompton Lakes poisoning.
We are concerned that the Chemours/DuPont Exemption Bill in its current form will allow out-of-state importation of hazardous chemical wastes, including highly toxic materials that threaten the drinking water source for millions of New Jerseyans.
While we appreciate Governor Phil Murphy’s efforts to further explore this legislation, we are urging him to conditionally veto it until New Jersey residents are satisfied that they will receive protection with regard to the following points:
Public education and accountability about Chemours operations, financial benefits and environmental impact;
Transparency – clear definitions of “hazardous wastes,” where they are from, their contents and handling;
Closing loopholes that sacrifice our health and that of our children for the sake of mega companies and profiteering; and
Strengthening the EPA’s ability to monitor, oversee and demand high standards of waste disposal, including waste importation, maintaining a ban on fracking and processing fracking waste.
We recognize the importance of successful business enterprises and the jobs they create, but at what cost?
Considering New Jersey’s many challenges, this bill does little to safeguard the health of our families or to attract working families and businesses seeking investment in a healthy environment. Rather, this bill promotes more of the same: an unhealthy environment and misplaced investments.
We are asking our fellow New Jerseyans to contact Murphy and urge him to conditionally veto the Chemours/DuPont Exemption Bill A3116. Our health and future well-being depend on it.
Irene Linet, Rona Malkin, Gabriela Sadote – Indivisible of Monroe Township
Ed Reichman – Indivisible South Orange and Maplewood
Harriet Warner – Indivisible Somerset
Beryl Koblin – Indivisible Central Jersey
Laura Zurfluh – Indivisible Cranbury