Sayreville, NJ - The NJ Environmental Federation (NJEF) released the following statement and press releases at a polluter pays press conference with US Senator Bob Menendez and Congressman Frank Pallone today.

"Rarely if ever has an election mattered more for the environment at the federal level than this one, this year, right now. So much will be decided in the next few days and weeks with such great consequences. And next year, 2013, the stakes will be just as significant at the state level right here in New Jersey.

"Control of Congress, the US Senate, and the Presidency hangs in the balance and with it whether we retain and advance or destroy safeguards absolutely crucial to the human race, our health and the environment.

"Hyperbole? Consider this!

"Since January 2011, the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives has voted 297 times to weaken public health and environmental protections. This is an unprecedented effort to rollback decades of important environmental policies that have made our water safer to drink and our air healthier to breathe. The environmental records of past environmental champs, like Congressman Leonard Lance (R-NJ7), have morphed almost beyond recognition.

"While the Democratic-led US Senate has rejected the majority of proposals to roll-back decades of critical environmental protections, it has failed to pass legislation to repeal oil and gas subsidies. The Senate Republicans' agenda is a bad as their House counterparts.

"Bob Menendez and Frank Pallone have dedicated their careers to advancing these protections while their opponents very first vote if in Congress would be to support the very forces dedicated to rolling these safeguards back."

Menendez Campaigns for Polluter Pays Gains Environmental Federation Endorsement

Sayreville, NJ (9/27/2012) - US Senator Bob Menendez, Congressman Frank Pallone, and the NJ Environmental Federation (NJEF) joined forces today to advance the polluter pays principle at a local Superfund site.

"Any 3 year old knows if you make the mess you clean-up but the worst polluters in the country and their political allies seem to have forgotten that basic adage. Atlantic Resources is a great example of why we need a Superfund law. Senator Menendez is fighting to keep the promise of the Superfund -- expedited clean-ups and making polluters pay their fair share," stated Janet Tauro, NJ Environmental Federation's Board Chair.

At the press conference, NJEF also announced its endorsement of Menendez for Senate. "Bob Menendez is an environmental champ. He's effectively advanced protections for the water we drink and the air we breathe and against well-funded, polluting interests who would rollback existing safeguards," said Amy Goldsmith, NJ Environmental Federation State Director. "New Jerseyans will be well-served by re-electing Bob Menendez to the US Senate."

"Senator Menendez has stood behind citizens in calling for transparency from the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and fighting for safety upgrades at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station in Lacey Township," said Janet Tauro, NJ Environmental Federation's Board Chair.

Other key aspects of Menendez' record and vision that NJEF highlighted included:

• A 100% pro-environment rating the past 3 years and 94% lifetime (2 decades)*;
• Standing Firm Against Drilling -- an effective advocate defending the Jersey Shore's beaches against offshore drilling and the threat spills pose to our tourism, and fishing industries and the environment;
• Fighting Climate Change -- secured increased funding for mass transit, energy efficiency and renewable energy especially solar, helped the Obama Administration adopt tougher fuel economy standards and stopped Tea Party Republican efforts to gut the Clean Air Act and efforts to reduce pollution and our reliance foreign oil;
• Opposing fracking in the Delaware River Basin, rollbacks of the Clean Water Act, and subsidies to the nuclear industry; and
• Protecting Open Space -- helped secure the designation of Paterson's Great Falls as a National Park.

Goldsmith noted Menendez's record stands in stark contrast to his opponent's, State Senator Joe Kyrillos', who has voted against the environment too often on the key votes especially over the past 3 years including:

• Voting to weaken the Clean Water and Highlands Acts 5 separate times,
• Sponsoring a bill to repeal the Global Warming Response Act and casting votes against the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) twice;
• Sponsoring amendments to undermine, and then voting against, a ban on fracking in NJ;
• Opposing 2 key parts of a package of bills to clean-up Barnegat Bay including a polluter pays provision
• Failing to support bi-partisan legislation, The Safe Playing Fields Act, that would protect young kids where they play by restricting the use of the most toxic pesticides on playground and ball field grass

"The choice is clear -- Bob Menendez is the environmental candidate in this year's race to represent New Jersey in the US Senate," concluded David Pringle, NJEF's Campaign Director.

Environmental Federation Endorses Frank Pallone for Congress

Sayreville, NJ (9/27/2012) - US Senator Bob Menendez, Congressman Frank Pallone, and the NJ Environmental Federation joined forces today to advance the polluter pays principle at a local Superfund site.

At the press conference, NJ Environmental Federation also announced its endorsement of Pallone for Congress

"Because of his strong record on the environment, protecting our open space and water, Pallone is the only environmental choice in the 6th district," stated Amy Goldsmith, New Jersey Environmental Federation's State Director and 6th District (Red Bank) resident. "He is a leader 2nd to none in the never ending effort to clean up and protect the Jersey Shore, fight sprawl, reduce the impacts of climate change, and protect our drinking water supplies."

NJEF looked closely at both candidates environmental platforms and found the differences are stark:

• Frank Pallone has 97-100% environmental rating* not just this year but for over 2 decades.
• From leading the charge against offshore drilling and ocean dumping to making polluters pay and giving citizens the right to know, no Congressman has fought harder, longer or more effectively.
• Frank's opponent, Anna Little, comes from the pro-drilling, science-be-damned, global warming denying fringe
• In contrast, Pallone would set us on a path to achieve energy independence, create green jobs, ensure cleaner air for asthmatic children and protect our coasts, flood-prone areas and agriculture from the worst that climate change could bring.

_{NJ Environmental Federation (NJEF), the Garden State Chapter of Clean Water Action (CWA), has been empowering people for more than 36 years to take action to protect America's waters, the health of our families from toxics and environmental injustices, as well as make democracy work. NJEF makes endorsements based solely on our environmental campaigns. NJEF has 150,000 individual members, 75,000 email subscribers and an additional 100 member groups. NJEF member groups with a 501 (c) (3) tax status do not participate in decisions or activities to support political candidates. For more information, call (732) 280-8988 or visit www.cleanwateraction.org/njef}

_{* Sources: NJEF's 2011-12 rating can be found at
http://www.cleanwateraction.org/page/8-key-us-senate-votes-fight-protect...
and LCV's 3 year and lifetime ratings can be found at www.lcv.org}

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