Brick, NJ--Clean Water Action's New Jersey State Director, Amy Goldsmith, spoke out about the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court at a press conference at Trader’s Cove Marina hosted by US Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker, along with other environmental groups. The following is a condensed version of her statement:
"Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the US Supreme Court may be welcomed by corporate special interests, but it will put the health and well-being New Jerseyans, our economy, and people across the country at risk. He could tip the balance of the Court toward more skepticism of environmental and health protections, weakening the Court's role as a vital backstop to extreme agendas that seek to undermine safeguards for our water and health. This could make it even easier for President Trump's Environmental Protection Agency and Congress to keep on dismantling environmental and public health protections.
Recently, the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of clean water for New Jersey, ensuring that the state’s “Category 1” waters like reservoirs, rivers and streams, and sources of our drinking water continue to receive the highest level of protection. These protected waters are found all over the state – from the Highlands where 4.5 million people depend on it for drinking to Swimming River in Monmouth County and the upper stretches of the Metedeconk River. These safeguards could be put in jeopardy if Judge Kavanaugh is confirmed by the US Senate.
The health of the Jersey Shore as well as the strength of the tourist, fishing, pharmaceutical industries, and others rely on clean water and clean air. If Brett Kavanaugh's record is any indication, the US Supreme Court will almost certainly tilt away from environmental justice if he joins the Court. Clean Water Action is proud to stand with US Senators Menendez and Booker; together we say no to Kavanaugh's appointment to our nation's highest court."
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Since our founding during the campaign to pass the landmark Clean Water Act in 1972, Clean Water Action has worked to win strong health and environmental protections by bringing issue expertise, solution-oriented thinking and people power to the table. Clean Water Action more than 100,000 members in New Jersey.