Environmental coalition vows to fight for environmental justice, clean energy

A new coalition of community advocacy groups is vowing to fight for environmental justice and work toward a goal of 100% clean energy.

The New Jersey Progressive Equitable Energy Coalition held its inaugural event Thursday morning at the New Jersey State House. The group focuses on how poor air quality, water quality, and pollution disproportionately impact poor and non-white communities.

“When we talk about environmental issues, sometimes it’s like… ‘That’s something nice, you know. I think we should care about the environment but it’s not immediate.’ And we have to really communicate the urgency of this because it’s really in the communities where we live that the impacts are most strongly felt,” says Christian Estevez, with the Latino Action Network.

The group will also advocate for the transition to 100% clean energy in New Jersey, with a focus on keeping energy costs affordable and creating jobs.