One of the best things about living in New Jersey is being close to the Jersey Shore. Whether it is a day trip, weeklong vacation or a daily walk on the beach, it’s great to leave life’s responsibilities back home and surround yourself with the natural beauty of the Shore. Swimming, fishing, surfing or walking on the boardwalk are the activities that make us treasure the Shore.
But right now, the health of the Shore is at risk. Loopholes in the Clean Water Act have left 48 percent of New Jersey’s streams and wetlands vulnerable to pollution, including many that empty into the Shore. Even worse, these loopholes risk the health of more than 4 million New Jersey residents who get their drinking water from threatened waterways. Now is the time for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to protect the waterways that feed the Shore. Thankfully, the EPA took a critical step forward last fall when they started the process to finally close these loopholes. U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6) has been a longtime supporter of closing these loopholes, and deserves kudos for calling for EPA action to protect the Shore and the waterways that feed it.
Andrew Fau
Campaign Coordinator
Environment New Jersey
Trenton