TRENTON, N.J. — A newly proposed bill, titled the “Climate Superfund Act,” has been introduced to the New Jersey Legislature, aiming to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for damages resulting from climate change. The bill seeks to establish liability for certain companies based on their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and direct compensatory payments to climate adaptation and resilience projects.
Under the act, fossil fuel companies deemed responsible for emitting more than one billion metric tons of greenhouse gases between January 1, 1995, and the bill’s enactment date would be considered “responsible parties.” The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) would oversee the identification of these companies and the calculation of their proportional responsibility for damages caused to the state and its residents.
The bill mandates that the State Treasurer, within two years of the bill’s passage, prepare an assessment quantifying the damages New Jersey has suffered due to greenhouse gas emissions since 1995. Based on this assessment, each identified company would be required to make payments equal to its share of the damages.
Funds collected through the program would be deposited into the “Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program Fund,” managed by the DEP.
These funds would be distributed as grants for climate change adaptation and resilience projects, which aim to mitigate the ongoing effects of climate change in the state. The DEP would also be authorized to use some of the funds for administering the program.
The bill includes provisions for joint and several liability for companies within the same corporate structure, meaning parent companies and subsidiaries would share responsibility for compensatory payments. The DEP would issue annual reports on the program, starting five years after the bill is enacted.
The DEP has up to two years to develop regulations and guidelines to implement the bill’s provisions after the Treasurer submits the damage assessment.
- New Jersey seeking climate reparations from fossil fuel industry
TRENTON, N.J. — A newly proposed bill, titled the “Climate Superfund Act,” has been introduced to the New Jersey Legislature, aiming to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for damages resulting from climate change. The bill seeks to establish liability for certain companies based on their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and direct compensatory payments to climate adaptation and resilience projects.
Under the act, fossil fuel companies deemed responsible for emitting more than one billion metric tons of greenhouse gases between January 1, 1995, and the bill’s enactment date would be considered “responsible parties.” The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) would oversee the identification of these companies and the calculation of their proportional responsibility for damages caused to the state and its residents.
The bill mandates that the State Treasurer, within two years of the bill’s passage, prepare an assessment quantifying the damages New Jersey has suffered due to greenhouse gas emissions since 1995. Based on this assessment, each identified company would be required to make payments equal to its share of the damages.
Funds collected through the program would be deposited into the “Climate Superfund Cost Recovery Program Fund,” managed by the DEP.
These funds would be distributed as grants for climate change adaptation and resilience projects, which aim to mitigate the ongoing effects of climate change in the state. The DEP would also be authorized to use some of the funds for administering the program.
The bill includes provisions for joint and several liability for companies within the same corporate structure, meaning parent companies and subsidiaries would share responsibility for compensatory payments. The DEP would issue annual reports on the program, starting five years after the bill is enacted.
The DEP has up to two years to develop regulations and guidelines to implement the bill’s provisions after the Treasurer submits the damage assessment.
- New Jersey Pushing for Free Abortions and Reproductive Care to Haitian Migrants
TRENTON — A bill aimed at ensuring free access to reproductive health services for Haitian migrants in New Jersey was introduced to the state Senate on Thursday. The legislation, titled the “Reproductive Health Access for Haitian Migrants Act,” is sponsored by Senator Renee C. Burgess of Essex and Union counties.
The proposed bill would require the New Jersey Department of Health, in partnership with community health clinics and migrant support organizations, to provide Haitian migrants with a variety of contraceptive options at no cost. These would include intrauterine devices (IUDs), birth control pills, and Depo-Provera injections.
According to the bill’s text, comprehensive reproductive health education and counseling would also be offered to help Haitian migrants make informed decisions about their reproductive health. “Access to comprehensive reproductive health services is essential for the well-being and autonomy of individuals, especially for marginalized populations such as Haitian migrants,” the bill states.
The Department of Health would be tasked with developing guidelines for the act’s implementation, including eligibility criteria and the logistics of contraceptive distribution, within 120 days of the bill’s passage.
An annual report would also be submitted to the governor and legislature, detailing outreach efforts and any barriers Haitian migrants encounter in accessing these services.
The bill was introduced as part of the 221st Legislature and takes effect immediately if passed.
- New Jersey Family Not Giving Up on Daughter Missing for Five Years
BRIDGETON, N.J. — Today marks five years since Dulce Alavez, then 5 years old, went missing while playing in a Bridgeton City park in Cumberland County. Investigators are hoping a new age-progression image, created by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), will help bring her home.
Dulce vanished on September 16, 2019, while playing with her younger brother. Despite extensive searches and investigations, her whereabouts remain unknown. The newly released image, crafted by NCMEC forensic artist Christi Andrews, offers a glimpse of what Dulce might look like now at 10 years old.
“When starting an age progression, the first thing I do is study the images of the missing child, in this case, Dulce,” said Andrews. “I was lucky enough to get images of her biological family, which gave me clues as to how family members age over time.”
NCMEC updates age-progression images every two years for missing children under 18. These images have helped law enforcement bring missing children home, and officials are hopeful that this latest effort will generate new leads.
Angeline Hartmann, director of communications at NCMEC, emphasized that while the image may not be an exact match, it is intended to spark recognition. “We’re asking everyone to take a look and see if there’s something familiar about this face,” she said.
Anyone with information about Dulce Alavez’s disappearance is urged to contact NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST, the Bridgeton Police Department at 856-451-0033, or the FBI at 800-225-5324.