FREE Screening of "Merchants of Doubt"

January 27, 2016 at 6:30PM

Rumson Presbyterian Church, 4 E River Road, Rumson, NJ

The film shows how just a handful of contrarian voices strategically employ tactics to create confusion and foster doubt to forestall the action needed in response to global climate change. We are honored to have Rachael Shwom, Ph.D.,Rutgers University Professor, scholar of a body of research on the influence of public opinion upon energy and climate change issues, for post-film discussion/Q&A. Light Food/drink will be provided before the FREE 7pm movie screening/questions­ info@quenchnj.com.

Two important climate events in Central NJ - 1/20 and 1/27

KEEP FRACKING WASTE OUT OF MONMOUTH COUNTY

Neptune Township's Environmental Commission, Food & Water Watch, Bayshore Regional Watershed Council, WATERSPIRIT, Coastal Monmouth Democrats, and others are teaming up to bring together an event about oil & gas fracking wastes on Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at 6 p.m. that elected officials, environmental commissions, health commissions, and community leaders are all invited to. This event will take place at 25 Neptune Blvd., Neptune, New Jersey on the 2nd floor in the Township of Neptune Committee Room.

The January 20th event will discuss the issue of dangerous wastes from oil & gas drilling currently finding its way in to New Jersey. Please join us to learn about the pathways of exposure to fracking wastes and loopholes that allow this waste to be mismanaged. Also hear from local elected officials who have passed legislation to protect their communities and learn about how you can safeguard your community from fracking wastes.

Fracking is a dangerous process to extract oil or natural gas, and while it's not happening in the state, the impact of fracking goes far beyond the well pad and we're feeling the effects. The contaminants in fracking waste, including radium-226 and a slew of hazardous drilling chemicals, are linked to cancer and birth defects and are extremely difficult to remove once they have permeated drinking water supplies. Fracking waste is even sometimes spread on roads and can run off into school playgrounds, residential properties, and farmland, and can ultimately contaminate rivers, streams, and underground aquifers that feed local drinking water supplies. This could hurt our health, as well as tourism and our local economy.

For more information:

Rita Yelda of Food &Water Watch, ryelda@fwwatch.org or 732-993-8966.

Invite your friends on Facebook!: https://www.facebook.com/events/674916705978415/

F&WW Educational Workshop: Fracking & the Jersey Shore

Please join Food & Water Watch for an educational workshop designed for municipal officials, community leaders, and members of the public to learn how fracking, fracking waste, and related natural gas infrastructure pose a threat to the New Jersey coast. The presentation will provide an overview of fracking, discuss how fracking waste and natural gas infrastructure are already impacting communities throughout New Jersey, how fracking waste and fracking-related infrastructure threaten the coast, and how municipalities can take action at the local level.

Throughout the previous year, Food & Water Watch has helped a growing movement of municipalities take local action against fracking, fracking waste, and related natural gas infrastructure in the absence of statewide bans. Find out if your community is at risk, learn what some communities have already done, and learn what you can do to keep this highly controversial method of natural gas drilling and its toxic byproducts out of your community.

All attendees will receive a flashdrive, as well as all the materials and resources needed to pass a local ordinance.

Fracking & the Jersey Shore:

How Fracking Impacts Your Community and What You Can Do About It

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

6:30pm – 8:30pm

Unitarian Universalist Ocean County Congregation

734 Route 37 West, Toms River, NJ 08755

RSVP: http://fwwat.ch/jerseyshoreworkshop
*Refreshments will be provided by Dean’s Natural Food Market*


This event is free and open to the public so feel free to share the invitation with others.

For questions, or to reserve a seat, please contact Lauren Petrie at (732) 993-8966 or lpetrie@fwwatch.org


**********************************

Food & Water Watch works to ensure the food, water and fish we consume is safe, accessible and sustainably produced. So we can all enjoy and trust in what we eat and drink, we help people take charge of where their food comes from, keep clean, affordable, public tap water flowing freely to our homes, protect the environmental quality of oceans, force government to do its job protecting citizens, and educate about the importance of keeping the global commons – our shared resources – under public control.

Pallone, Diegnan Highlight Harmful Effects of Plastic Microbeads on Fish, NJ Waterways

SOUTH PLAINFIELD, NJ – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-6) and Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan (D-Middlesex) visited Spring Lake Park to discuss the dangers posed by synthetic plastic microbeads commonly used as exfoliants in cosmetics and personal care products, like face wash, soap, and toothpaste. These small bits of plastic can slip through water treatment systems after they are washed down the drain. As a result, these microbeads often end up in local streams, rivers and larger bodies of water.

The lawmakers highlighted the harmful effects that microbeads have on the environment, as well as fish and other organisms that often mistake the small bits of plastic for food. Pallone and Diegnan were joined by Assemblywoman Nancy Pinkin, Middlesex County Freeholder Director Ron Rios, Jim Walsh of Food & Water Watch, and Sandra Meola of NY/NJ Baykeeper.

Last week, Pallone introduced bipartisan legislation in Congress, the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015, which would prohibit the sale or distribution of personal care products that contain synthetic plastic microbeads. Last year, Diegnan helped to ensure passage of a similar bill in the New Jersey State Legislature that would ban the manufacturing of products with microbeads in the Garden State and prohibit them from being sold in New Jersey by 2018.

“This plastic that is polluting our environment is found in products specifically designed to be washed down shower drains,” said Pallone. “And many people buying these products are unaware of their damaging effects. By phasing out the use of plastic microbeads and transitioning to non-synthetic alternatives, we can protect U.S. waters before it’s too late. I thank Assemblyman Diegnan for advancing this critical legislation here in New Jersey, and look forward to continuing to work together to prevent this unnecessary pollution on the national level.”

“I applaud Congressman Pallone for recognizing the ill effects that microbeads have on our environment and standing with what we have done in New Jersey as we take steps to curb its use,” said Diegnan. “When we ban these products on the federal level, we are forever preserving our national environmental heritage by protecting integral marine life and the fishing industry that is important to local and state economies.”

The State of Illinois recently passed a law banning the sale of products containing plastic microbeads by the end of 2017, and a number of other states are considering similar bans. Natural alternatives to plastic microbeads already exist in the market, and some companies, like Proctor & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson, have already started the process of phasing out the harmful plastic in their products.

Call Gov TODAY To Sign The Fracking Waste Ban!

From FWW Local coordinators:


TELL THE GOV TO SIGN THE FRACKING WASTE BAN TODAY!!!

PHONE: 609-292-6000

Please call the Governor’s office TODAY to urge him to sign the fracking waste ban (S1041) to stop the treatment, storage, disposal and discharge of TOXIC fracking waste in our state. The bill also prevents application of this toxic brew to our roadways, where it will only run off to pollute our land and water.

The Governor has until Monday to act, so call him TODAY! Tell him to sign NOW to protect New Jersey!

Frack waste ban passes! Heads to governor!

For Immediate Release:
June 26, 20014



Today the fracking waste ban (A2108/S1041) passed the NJ Assembly with a solid 61 to 17 margin! In May the bill passed in the Senate 32 to 5 and now heads to the governor’s desk!

Thank you to everyone who made calls, sent emails & letters and showed up at the State House to help move this along.



Now it’s time to keep the pressure on the governor to sign it. Tell him BAN FRACKING WASTE DUMPING IN NEW JERSEY!


Office of the Governor
PO Box 001
Trenton, NJ 08625

Call: 609-292-6000

Tweet: @GovChristie

Send an email: http://www.state.nj.us/governor/contact/



THANK YOU FOR TAKING ACTION.

Let the Earth Day Festivities Begin!

Dear Ocean-Monmouth Friends,

It feels like spring has finally sprung! And just in time for an Earth Day (err, Earth week) celebration. Check out the full list of activities coming up and I hope you can join us as we celebrate this beautiful planet we call home!  

EARTH DAY RALLY:

OPPOSING THE PINELANDS PIPELINE & BL ENGLAND PLANT

Join us on on Earth Day as we stand together in opposition to the Pinelands pipeline and the air and water pollution spewing from the BL England power plant. In January the Pinelands Commission REJECTED this dirty energy deal and now politicians and fossil fuel interests are attempting to circumvent the democratic process and strong arm this ill-conceived project through. We cannot allow that to happen! Stand with us as we rally in support for New Jersey's clean energy future and our opposition to more dirty fossil fuels through this pristine Pinelands region.

When: Tuesday, April 22nd at 12:30pm

Where: Beesley's Point Beach, Harbor Rd, Marmona, NJ 

(this is a public beach located next to the Tuckahoe Inn)

Following the Rally there will be a series of teach-ins from 1:15pm to 2:30pm focusing on different aspects of the pipeline battle:

-          BL England's permits and litigation against the plant

-          The ecology of the Pinelands region

-          Fossil fuel pollution and climate change

-          Cumulative Impacts of Natural Gas Infrastructure: from fracking to pipeline construction

Film Screenings:

Groundswell Rising: Protecting Our Children's Air & Water

Emmy Award-winning Resolution Pictures captures the passion of people across the country who are engaged in a David and Goliath confrontation with the oil & gas industry. Be inspired as they stand together and challenge a system that promotes profit over health. In the film, we meet mothers, fathers, scientists, doctors, farmers and people from all sides of the political spectrum taking a hard look at energy extraction techniques that are not proven to be safe. With the oil & gas industry's expansion of fracking seen as a moral issue, this provocative documentary tracks a people's movement, a groundswell rising towards reason and sensitivity, to protect life, today and tomorrow. This "must see" film will be playing at 2 locations.

Join us at a screening near you!

When: Saturday, April 26th at 2:00pm

Where: Toms River Public Library, Mancini Hall

 101 Washington St, Toms River, NJ 08753

Feel free to share the event page with friends: https://www.facebook.com/events/272595242901040/ 

       

When: Sunday, April 27th at 4:00pm

Where: Waterspirit, Stella Maris Retreat Center

 981 Ocean Ave, Long Branch, NJ 07740

Feel free to share the event page with friends: https://www.facebook.com/events/741508035881823/ 

Both screenings will be followed by a panel discussion focusing on actions being taken here in New Jersey to protect our state from toxic fracking waste. There is a $10 suggested donation to help cover the costs of making the film. (Flyers for both films are attached.)

Sponsored by: Clean Water Action, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Food & Water Watch, and the New Jersey Sierra Club

Chasing Ice

This award winning documentary tells the story of National Geographic photographer James Balog's mission to change the tide of history by gathering undeniable evidence of climate change. Using time-lapse cameras, his videos compress years into seconds and capture ancient mountains of ice in motion as they disappear at a breathtaking rate. With a band of young adventurers in tow, Balog deploys revolutionary time-lapse cameras across the brutal Arctic to capture a multi-year record of the world's changing glaciers. Enjoy the spectacular beauty of the photography and see the reality of the effects of climate change. 

If you haven't seen this film yet, you don't want to miss it! I've seen it twice and can't wait to see it again - the story is brilliantly told and the cinematography will take your breath away!

When: April 29th at 2:00pm AND 7:00pm

Where: Waterspirit, Stella Maris Retreat Center

 981 Ocean Ave, Long Branch, NJ 07740

Discussion to follow the film. This is a free public screening and ice cream will be served! (Flyer attached.)

Sponsored by: Waterspirit, Sierra Club, and Food & Water Watch

One of the best ways to grow a movement is to spread the word and enlighten others, so please feel free to invite and share these event details with family, friends, neighbors, and any other local activists that may be interested in attending!  

I hope you can join us for any and/or all of these wonderfully uplifting, engaging, and inspiring events.

Onward,

Lauren

Lauren Petrie

Organizer

Food & Water Watch

GASLAND II Screening in Red Bank on Oct 17, 6 p.m.

Creator Josh Fox’s sequel to Gasland -- Gasland II -- was released this summer. If you haven’t yet seen it, here’s your chance to catch a local screening, hosted by Food and Water Watch:

When: Thursday, October 17TH, 6:00 PM

Where: Red Bank Cinemas, 36 White Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701

Watch the trailer here: http://www.gaslandthemovie.com/about-the-film

Please contact the theater for ticket information. Phone: (732) 747-0335

Today is last day to submit comments on LNG facility

As many of you may know, Liberty LNG has again applied to build a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facility off the coast of New York and New Jersey. The project, called “Port Ambrose”, would host massive natural gas tankers that will lead to an acceleration of hydraulic fracturing in the northeast by opening up a gateway for LNG exports. This project is the same project previously vetoed by Governor Christie in 2011. It may have a new name, but it is in the same place and has the same impacts, dangers, and drawbacks.

TODAY, August 22nd is the last day to submit public comments.

Please help protect the waters off New York and New Jersey by submitting comments and urging friends and family to do the same!

Here are the links to help you:

Submit your comments NOW online at:
http://www.regulations.gov/#%21submitComment;D=USCG-2013-0363-0181


For helpful information in submitting comments, you can go to Clean Ocean Action’s Port Ambrose Public Comment Templates: http://cleanoceanaction.blogspot.com/2013/08/oppose-offshore-lng-public-comment.html

Three other actions you can take:

Sign Surfrider's petition to tell Governor Christie to say NO to Port Ambrose: http://action.surfrider.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=8182

Sign the Catskills Citizens for Safe Energy's letters against LNG: http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/5952/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=14865

Sign Food and Water Watch's petition to stop Port Ambrose: https://secure3.convio.net/fww/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=821


Thank you for taking action!

WaterSpirit - "Summer Heat" Action this Sunday, July 28th Asbury Park - Street Theatre Performance

350NJ and Food & Water Watch are partnering on a late July action to turn up the "Summer Heat" on the fossil fuel industry and their political puppets in New Jersey, and they need your help!

Join them on Sunday, July 28th for the debut of "Governor Christie, which side are you on?”, a creative street theatre performance telling the story of New Jersey's ongoing struggle for a clean energy future:

Summer Heat street theatre performance on the Jersey Shore
Asbury Park Boardwalk (Ocean Avenue between Asbury and Sunset Ave) 
Sunday, July 28th, 11am-1pm


"Governor Christie, which side are you on?" will use creative story-telling, original song and creative props including a pipeline and drill derrick, as well as windmills, solar panels and giant sunflowers, all to draw attention to the issues of shale gas development and climate change here in New Jersey, and how these issues are impacting communities throughout our state right now. Activists will gather on the Asbury Park boardwalk and engage beach visitors in this creative and fun street theatre performance. All are welcome to participate and or watch this family friendly action!

Please RSVP for the event here: http://local.350.org/events/363/

By taking action in solidarity with communities throughout the country this July, we'll turn up the heat on the fossil fuel industry and their political supporters wherever they are, and continue to build the big, bold and beautiful movement we need to win.

Don't Let the Gas Industry Raise the Demand for Fracking in New Jersey - Fracked Gas Threatens Our Coasts!

I write with troubling news. A new, massive natural gas facility could be built off the coast of New Jersey, threatening local communities and increasing the demand for fracking. With only a few weeks for public comment, we need to act right now to tell Governor Christie to reject this reckless proposal.

The corporation pushing this project, called Port Ambrose, is saying that it will be a terminal to import natural gas. But with fracking on the rise in the Marcellus shale region, many are concerned that the project is really designed to help the gas industry export fracked gas to other countries. This means that the project not only threatens residents and visitors from Long Branch to Sandy Hook, but it will result in more pressure to open New Jersey to the ravages of fracking.

Port Ambrose would inevitably discharge wastewater and contaminate air and marine waters. The proposed facility poses an unacceptable risk to the people of New Jersey's health and safety and threatens some of the state's most popular beach areas. With a deadline looming on July 14, we must take action today. Join me in telling Governor Christie to reject this reckless project.

Submit a public comment today

Thanks for taking action,

Jim Walsh
Mid-Atlantic Region Director
Food & Water Watch
jwalsh@fwwatch.org

“Ollie the Oily Ostrich” to Deliver Hundreds of Fracking Waste Ban Petitions to Assemblymembers O’Scanlon and Casagrande

Delivery Comes Amid Statewide Campaign to Overturn Governor’s Veto of Bill Protecting State from Toxic Fracking Waste This Legislative Session 

Red Bank and Freehold, NJ – Local residents and community groups will join with “Ollie the Oily Ostrich” on tomorrow June 12th, to deliver thousands of constituent petitions supporting an override of Governor Christie’s veto of the Fracking Waste Ban Bill. The legislation would protect residents by banning the disposal, treatment and discharge of toxic waste created through the process of fracking, a highly controversial natural gas drilling method. The legislation was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support last year but was vetoed by the governor.

Activists will dress up in an ostrich costume to deliver thousands of petitions, urging Assemblymembers O’Scanlon and Casagrande not to “bury their heads in the sand” to the dangers of fracking waste dumping and the impacts it can have on New Jersey.

Both legislators have yet to take a stance on critical legislation, the Fracking Waste Ban (A575/S253) despite the fact that they voted in favor of the ban a year ago, when it originally passed the NJ legislature with overwhelming support.

Republican legislators who voted to ban fracking waste dumping are continuing to avoid taking a stance on this issue due to fear of retribution from Governor Christie and powerful lobbyists from the gas and oil industry.

11:30am District Office Assemblyman O’Scanlon 32 Monmouth St., Red Bank 07701

2pm District Office Assemblywoman Casagrande 35 West Main St., Freehold 07728

May 29 – Call-in Day to Support a Ban on Fracking Waste in NJ

posted on behalf of Food & Water Watch

This is a call-in day to demonstrate widespread support for passing a ban on fracking waste in New Jersey. The legislation would protect residents by banning the disposal, treatment and discharge of toxic waste created through the process of fracking, a highly controversial natural gas drilling method. The legislation was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support last year but NJ Governor Christie vetoed the legislation in September, caving to pressure from the oil and gas industry.  There may be a vote in the NJ legislature this June to override the Governor's veto.  We need to urge our legislators to pass this important legislation to protect NJ waterways.  

Below are the Monmouth County legislators who need to get on board!  Call today if you can, or call tomorrow or the next day, but make your voice heard!  Thank you for your activism.

Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande            732-866-1695

Assemblywoman Amy Handlin                        732-787-1170

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon                        732-933-1591

Talking Points:

-       Fracking waste treatment is a threat to our drinking water and should be banned.

-       Radioactive fracking waste has been discharged into PA waterways.

-       Help protect New Jersey from the dangers of fracking waste by overriding Governor Christie’s veto of A575/S253.

Fracking video and Q&A -- May 16, 7 pm, First Presbyterian Church of Rumson

Here's another local opportunity to learn and ask questions about fracking.

Join Food & Water Watch for a panel discussion featuring experts on energy policy and our food system to understand how the rush for natural gas development and our food system are intricately linked together.

Thursday, April 4th @ 6 PM

Two River Theater Company

21 Bridge Ave, Red Bank NJ

PANELISTS
Wenonah Hauter • Executive Director, Food & Water Watch and Foodopoly author
Dean Nelson • Dean’s Natural Food Market
J. Stephen Cleghorn, PhD • Paradise Gardens and Farm, LLC
Cindy Zipf • Executive Director of Clean Ocean Action

~Reception with light hors d’oeuvres begins at 6 PM~
~Panel Discussion begins at 7 PM~

Free and open to the public! Thanks to our Host Committee: Rosemary Parish, Robert Scardapane, WATERSPIRIT, and Tina Weishaus.

For more information, contact Emily Reuman at 978.844.2164 ereuman@fwwatch.org.

To purchase your copy of Foodopoly in advance through River Road Books and pick it up at the Theater, visit www.riverroadbooks.net/special_order.html. You’ll also have a chance to buy a signed copy of Foodopoly at the event (while supplies last).

Limited Seating: Register here to reserve your seat: http://bit.ly/FrackingFoodopolyFuture

Fracking, the Foodopoly and Our Future in Red Bank, NJ Two River Theater

Please join us for

FRACKING, THE FOODOPOLY AND OUR FUTURE

Thursday, April 4 at 7 PM

Reception with light hors d’oeuvres begins at 6 PM

Two River Theater • 21 Bridge Avenue • Red Bank, NJ 07701

Join Food & Water Watch for a panel discussion featuring experts on energy policy and our food system to understand how the rush for natural gas development and the deterioration of our food system are intricately linked together.

PANELISTS

Wenonah Hauter • Executive Director, Food & Water Watch and Foodopoly author 

Dean Nelson • Dean’s Natural Food Market 

J. Stephen Cleghorn, PhD • Paradise Gardens and Farm, LLC

 Cindy Zipf • Executive Director of Clean Ocean Action

Free and open to the public!

 Register at http://bit.ly/foodopolyredbank. For more information, 

contact Emily Reuman at 978.844.2164 or e-mail ereuman@fwwatch.org.

_____________________________________________________________

Thanks to our Host Committee:

Rosemary Parish, Robert Scardapane, WATERSPIRIT, and Tina Weishaus.

______________________________________________________________

To purchase your copy of Foodopoly in advance through River Road Books and pick it up at the Theater, visit www.riverroadbooks.net/special_order.html. You’ll also have a chance to buy a signed copy of Foodopoly at the event (while supplies last).

Take Action To Label Genetically Engineered Foods. Call-in Day on Wednesday, January 16

From Food & Water Watch

We all have the right to know if the foods we are eating have been Genetically Engineered.


New Jersey Assemblyman Conaway, Chair of the Health Committee, is about to receive legislation to label Genetically Engineered foods. We want him to know that food is a priority for New Jerseyans. He needs to hear from YOU!

CALL Assemblyman Conaway:
Post the GE Labeling Bill
(877) 559-7809

Tell him:
• I’m glad to hear that the Assemblyman is in support of GE labeling - thank you! I urge him to post this legislation for a vote.
• GE foods are a huge part of the American food supply but they have not been tested for long-term impacts on human and environmental health.
• Consumers can’t make good choices about the food they eat without labeling.

http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/campaigns/make-ge-labels-the-law/

Want to talk about GE foods and how you can make a difference?
(732) 839-0878 Ask for Emily or email ereuman@fwwatch.org


********
Note: This post has been updated

Call-in Day on Monday, 10/15. Tell our legislators not to flip flop now that they need to override the Gov’s veto of the fracking waste ban.

by guest blogger Linda Baum

As most of you know, I’ve been providing updates on the status of bills A575/S253, which ban the treatment, storage, disposal, and discharge of fracking waste in New Jersey. 

There is a push now to get legislators to stay the course and support an override of the Governor’s Sept. 21^st veto.  The following NJ Assemblypersons representing Monmouth County voted YES the first time around and should be reminded to do so again when the bills come up for an override vote:

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (R )

Legislative District 13, Middletown & vicinity (732) 933-1591

Assemblywoman Amy Handlin (R )

Legislative District 13, Middletown & vicinity (732) 787-1170

Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande (R )

Legislative District 11, Freehold & vicinity, (732) 866-1695

If you are not sure which Legislative district you are in, here is a list of towns in each district:

District 11 - (Monmouth)  Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Long Branch, Neptune, Neptune Township, Ocean Township (Monmouth), Red Bank, Shrewsbury Borough, Shrewsbury Township, Tinton Falls, West Long Branch

District 13 - (Monmouth)  Aberdeen, Atlantic Highlands, Fair Haven, Hazlet, Highlands, Holmdel, Keansburg, Keyport, Little Silver, Marlboro, Middletown, Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Rumson, Sea Bright, Union Beach

Monday, Oct. 15 has been designated a special call-in day by Food & Water Watch, which has been leading the charge to protect our water supplies by getting this legislation passed.  With your help, we can generate hundreds of calls into the offices of the above legislators.

As always, thank you for your activism.

Resolution asking for Amendment to Overturn Citizens United passes NJ Senate!

by guest blogger Linda Baum

I am passing along this good news.  Now is the time to contact Speaker Oliver (973-395-1166, aswoliver@njleg.org) to ask her to put AR86 on the Assembly’s agenda for Oct. 18 and to call our Assemblypersons to ask them to support the resolution.  You can find contact information for your Assemblypersons at:  http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/municipalities.asp

As always, thank you for your activism.

***

Your persistance did it - SR47 PASSED!  This is the NJ Senate Resolution that calls on Congress to get money out of politics by overturning the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision with a Constitutional Amendment. SR47 will now go to Washington and represent NJ as the 8th state FOR an amendment-to-overturn.

Our NJ Coalition for the Overturn of Citizens United has grown and includes to date: The American Dream Movement of Cape May County, Food and Water Watch, Free Speech For People, International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 877, New Jersey Common Cause, New Jersey American Federation of Teachers, New Jersey Communications Workers of America, New Jersey Citizen Action, MoveOn Councils (Mid-Jersey,Essex, Hudson), New Jersey Main Street Alliance, New Jersey Public Interest Research Group, New Jersey Sierra Club, New Jersey Work Environment Council, New Jersey Working Families Alliance, People for the American Way, Public Citizen, United Steelworkers District 4, Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of New Jersey.

This Coalition has presented 17,000 NJ petitions to our NJ legislators, yours included, and reached out to all their members. THIS IS PEOPLE POWER.

The sister resolution in the NJ Assembly (AR86) comes up for a floor vote soon - probably Thurs. Oct. 18th.

We need to call/email Speaker Sheila Oliver (Dist. 34, (973) 395-1166, aswoliver@njleg.org) to ask her to put AR86 on the agenda for Oct.18th. We need to contact our Assemblypersons (Republican and Democrat) and remind them all that the majority of small businesses, registered Republicans, Democrats, and Independents want money out of politics by Constitutional Amendment. We need to write letters-to-the-editor calling attention to SR47's passage and the pending passage of AR86.

Next, we will be passing all the local resolutions-to-overturn that are in progress around NJ and working to get all of our representatives in Congress on the record for the amendment process. Our snow ball is rolling down hill, gathering momentum and scale as it goes. Ask all the current candidates if they support this movement to give us government of, by and for the people; not of, by and for the money.

Thank you again for your staying power!

Susannah Newman

Coordinator NJ for the Overturn of Citizens United

snewman@brockport.edu

(609) 972-9192

OVERRIDE THE VETO! BAN FRACKING WASTE DUMPING

by guest blogger Linda Baum

If you are a regular on Mike’s blog, you know I’ve been posting updates on the progress of bill A575/S253, which would prevent dangerous fracking waste from coming to New Jersey. On Friday I learned that Governor Christie vetoed the bill.

So now it’s time for our legislative leaders to step up and override the veto, and for all of us to make sure they know we expect them to do so to safeguard our water.

Consumer advocacy organization Food & Water Watch is calling on everyone to flood the State House this week with calls to Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver.

As always, thank you for your activism.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From Food & Water Watch:

Waste from drilling and fracking for shale gas has been shown to contain radioactive material and other known carcinogens. In Pennsylvania, radioactive fracking wastewater has reportedly been discharged into waterways. To prevent this from happening in New Jersey, we need to act now!

Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection is reporting that facilities in Kearny, Carteret, and Elizabeth have been shipped fracking waste.

Governor Christie vetoed the fracking waste ban, which was passed by the Senate and Assembly with bipartisan support. With your help, we have a real chance to make sure that fracking, and the ill effects associated with it, are never allowed in our state.

PLEASE CALL THESE LEGISLATIVE LEADERS:
Senate President Sweeney: (856) 251-9801
Assembly Speaker Oliver: (973) 395-1166

TALKING POINTS
• As legislative leaders we need you to lead on protecting NJ’s waterways from fracking waste by calling a vote to override the Governor’s veto of A575/S253 and making sure it passes.
• Fracking waste treatment is a threat to our drinking water and should be banned.
• Radioactive fracking waste has been discharged into Pennsylvania’s waterways and we can’t allow it here.

Contact Karina Wilkinson kwilkinson@fwwatch.org 732.839.0862
www.foodandwaterwatch.org