One Big Step Towards a Frack Waste Ban in New Jersey

In 2012 and 2014, we worked with allies across the state to pass bills—with bipartisan support—that would have made New Jersey just the second state in the country to ban fracking waste.

And both times, Governor Chris Christie vetoed these measures.

Christie is gone, but the movement to protect our water from the fracking industry is stronger than ever. The third time’s the charm.

On October 29, we hit the halls of the State House in Trenton to encourage lawmakers to support S 678, which would ban the import, storage, and treatment of fracking waste. We were joined by allies like Waterspirit, Climate Mama, the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, and the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters.

And that hard work paid off: The final vote was 31-5.

All the toxic fracking waste generated by wells in Pennsylvania has to go somewhere (even if the communities on the receiving end don’t want it), and the dirty drilling industry has its sights set on New Jersey. We know that this waste has wound up at facilities in New Jersey in the past, and a law passed this summer created a loophole for the Chemours/DuPont Chamber Works facility in Salem County to seek DEP approval to begin importing hazardous waste from other states.

That means it is imperative that we act now to protect our state.

Banning fracking waste will protect our clean water, strengthen the campaign to protect the Delaware River basin from fracking and fracking waste, and send a message that New Jersey is not a dumping ground for the fossil fuel industry.

Now it’s time for the Assembly to move this bill, and get it to Governor Phil Murphy’s desk. As a candidate, Murphy wrote, “I fully support a ban on the importation of fracking wastes into New Jersey—to protect against an accident or spill that would harm our lands and waters.”  

It’s time for the state legislature to give him a chance to make that commitment a reality.