Veteran Lawmakers Says Federal Cuts will Have Dire Consequences for New Jersey’s Environmental Protection Efforts
Assembly Deputy Majority Leader Reed Gusciora joined with Environment New Jersey on Tuesday in strongly condemning the massive, proposed federal budget cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which will have dire consequences for New Jersey’s environmental protection efforts.
As part of the proposed $54 billion slash to non-defense discretionary spending, the Trump administration has proposed a 31 percent cut to the EPA’s total budget of $8 billion, a move Gusciora called “untenable.”
“These reductions significantly reduce or wholly terminate programs that are paramount to our health and safety,” Gusciora (D-Mercer/Hunterdon) asserted. “Even further, these reductions jeopardize our air and water quality, which will inevitably have an adverse effect on our economy. The Garden State, ironically, is home to more EPA Superfund sites than any other state. Cuts to environmental protection directly harm New Jersey citizens, who do not deserve to pay the price for the President’s lack of foresight.”
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), nearly 67 percent of Americans oppose budget cuts for the EPA.
“Americans across the board understand that we need to be conscious of the current environmental situation, instead of ignoring the science, because in the long run our survival literally depends on it,” Gusciora added. “The results of the poll are a clear indicator: Americans want a strong EPA. Cutting funding to this crucial agency expose Americans to an imminent threat of unsafe drinking water and heavily polluted air. This fosters a dangerous and unhealthy environment, which will inevitably become a breeding ground for asthma, heavily polluted communities, and lead-contaminated drinking water. The people of New Jersey deserve better than this. All Americans deserve better than this. We need to make a commitment to preserve the health and safety of the people that make up this great nation.”