TRENTON, N.J. — A group of Republican lawmakers has expressed strong opposition to new environmental regulations proposed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), warning the measures could damage shore town economies and make home ownership unaffordable for middle- and working-class families. The lawmakers issued their concerns in a letter to NJDEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette on Thursday.
The proposed rules, part of the New Jersey Protecting Against Climate Threats (NJ PACT) initiative, were introduced on August 5 and aim to modernize environmental land use policies and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The regulations include two key components: the Resilient Environments and Landscapes rule and the Climate Pollutant Reduction rule.
In their letter, signed by 11 Republican assembly members representing shore communities, lawmakers called for greater involvement of local stakeholders in the rule-making process. “While we fully support efforts to protect our environment, we are deeply troubled by the potential economic repercussions of the proposed rules,” the letter stated. It also noted concerns over increased costs and delays for development projects that could, in turn, harm local economies.
According to the lawmakers, the NJDEP’s own analysis predicts rising costs for construction and housing, with fees for land surveying potentially doubling or tripling. The letter claims these changes could make home ownership unattainable for many, and lead vacationers and investors to seek more affordable destinations outside of New Jersey.
Shore counties such as Atlantic, Cape May, Ocean, and Monmouth reported a combined $23.4 billion in tourism revenue in 2022, according to data from Tourism Economics. Republican lawmakers argue that the new regulations threaten those gains. “The cascading effect from the prohibitively high cost of development… will have a profoundly negative effect on our shore economies,” the letter warned.
The NJDEP has one year to adopt the NJ PACT regulations. It is unclear whether adjustments will be made to address the concerns raised by lawmakers.
