TRENTON - Matthew Smith, New Jersey State Director and regional organizer for Food and Water Watch, environmental justice activist Paula Rogovin, and their allies today had a message for lawmakers returning from the summer break: Pass the Polluters Pay to Make New Jersey Affordable Act.

"We're holding them to their promise to support [the legislation]," Rogovin told InsiderNJ.

Released out of the environmental committees last session before stalling, the bill would make fossil fuel companies pay for $50 billion in climate damages and take the burden off of taxpayers and ratepayers.

By way of context from the New Jersey Monitor:

The bill’s provisions would apply only to a limited set of fossil fuel extractors. To be captured by the bill, a company or its corporate predecessor must have been engaged in fossil fuel extraction between 1995 and 2024, have sufficient links to New Jersey, and be deemed responsible for at least 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions by the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Smith wants to make sure legislators get the bill done, and he noted the changed dynamics of primaries if they choose not to get it done.

"It's... our jobs as voters to inspire the right kinds of policies from our elected officials, and ultimately we're facing the first primary election in state history where the entire legislature will be on the ballot without a ballot line," Smith said.

Watch (the FULL!) InsiderNJ interview with Matt Smith below:

Also, be sure to watch this interview with environmental justice activist Paula Rogovin: