Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee Vice-Chair John F. McKeon (D-Essex/Morris) issued the following statement Friday on the People’s Climate March, a climate change march to be held Sunday, Sept. 21 in Manhattan:
“As stewards of the earth, we have an urgent duty to take action on behalf of our environment, and I am elated that so many men and women who recognize this responsibility will stand together this weekend. The projected attendance for the People’s Climate March is a reflection of the fact that – no matter how much the climate deniers spend to reject it – people across this country understand that the wellness of our environment and that of the human race are inextricably linked.
“While more than 200 miles separate New York and Washington, it’s clear that the two cities stand united on climate change. The People’s Climate March comes on the heels of the Environmental Protection Agency revealing its Clean Power Plan, a proposal that, if successful, will be a major leap forward for reducing carbon emissions and moving toward clean energy. Together, the federal government and the people they represent are working in unyielding pursuit of a critical goal.
“Unfortunately, in between New York and Washington, New Jersey still awaits the kind of progressive leadership from our chief executive that we need in order to be a part of that mission. As the prime sponsor of legislation to require New Jersey to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, I draw hope from what is happening in these two cities and remain strong in my conviction that our state will soon join them in doing what is right for our environment.”