Trenton - Today, the New Jersey LCV joined with partners and legislative champions to launch its Common Agenda for the Environment for the 2026-2027 legislative session, a comprehensive policy roadmap designed to advance commonsense solutions that protect our communities and natural resources while expanding opportunities for New Jersey’s working families.

This agenda arrives at a critical juncture as the state faces an unprecedented federal assault on the environment and clean energy. Federal efforts to enrich billionaire donors at the expense of public health and safety have made state-level leadership more vital than ever.

“Our Common Agenda is a blueprint for a more sustainable New Jersey,” said Allison McLeod, Interim Executive Director, New Jersey LCV.  “By protecting our public lands from private interests, expanding clean energy and addressing inequities, and ensuring every voice is heard at the ballot box, we are standing up for the families who deserve a healthy community and lower utility bills. Now more than ever, New Jerseyans are looking to leadership from our state Legislature. We must fight back against the coordinated attack on our clean air, our water, our pocketbooks, and our democracy.”

The 2026-2027 Common Agenda centers on four pillars:

1. Strengthening Our Democracy: John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey (S282/A1715)

A strong, inclusive democracy undergirded by robust voting protections is the foundation of all environmental progress. New Jersey LCV is calling for the swift passage of the Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey to ensure that the communities most impacted by pollution and climate change have an equal say in our collective future.

This landmark legislation will ensure that all New Jerseyans can make their voices heard at the ballot box in the face of a series of unprecedented attacks on voting rights.

“As voter suppression efforts increase across the country, New Jersey must be a leader in strengthening our democracy by removing barriers to voting that are still all too common and disproportionately harm voters of color,” said Alejandra Sorto, ACLU-NJ Associate Director of Civic Engagement. “That’s why we’re calling on lawmakers to immediately pass the New Jersey Voter Empowerment Act, to protect and expand voting rights in our state and build a strong, inclusive, and representative democracy where every voice is heard.”

"With Congress contemplating dangerous legislation, like the SAVE and MEGA Acts, which suppress the right to vote and the U.S. Supreme Court on the brink of decimating the federal Voting Rights Act this year, New Jersey needs to protect its voters now by passing the John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act. By doing so we can send a message across the country - here in New Jersey, we don't shrink from democracy, we expand and protect it," said Nuzhat Chowdhury, Director of the Democracy and Justice Program at the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice.

2. Keeping Public Lands in Public Hands: Liberty State Park Protection Act (S2924)

To ensure New Jersey’s premier urban state park remains a public resource for generations, the Legislature must pass the Liberty State Park Protection Act to permanently protect the crown jewel of our urban state parks from large-scale commercialization or privatization. The bill would ensure that residents of New Jersey’s most densely populated county have access to critically needed open space, put an end to years of effort by wealthy special interests to privatize the park for profit, and safeguard critical ecological resources in the interior of the park.

“As someone who believes deeply in justice, equity, and the power of community, I know that protecting our environment and strengthening our democracy go hand in hand. The New Jersey LCV Common Agenda reflects the bold leadership this moment demands — safeguarding our air and water, accelerating the transition to affordable clean energy, preserving the public spaces that belong to all of us, such as Liberty State Park, and ensuring every resident has a meaningful voice in our democracy. I’m proud to stand with New Jersey LCV in advancing a vision that puts people first and builds a cleaner, fairer future for our state,” said Assemblyman Ravi Bhalla.

“The Friends of Liberty State Park thanks New Jersey LCV for its crucial Common Agenda priorities and leadership, and especially for advocating for the Common Good of protecting and funding parks and open green spaces throughout our state. We especially look forward to working with NJLCV on protecting Liberty State Park, an essential emotional, mental and physical health public resource in a densely populated region,” said Sam Pesin, President, Friends of Liberty State Park. “The priceless park needs the Governor and DEP Commissioner to reject the unsigned 60-year marina lease with its massive boat storage warehouse, and needs the legislature to finally pass the LSP Protection Act to ensure full and equitable public access to a non-privatized free and green New Jersey and American treasure behind Lady Liberty.”

3. Delivering an Equitable Clean Energy Future: Making Large Users Pay their Fair Share (S732/A796)

New Jersey is in a crisis - not only from the worst effects of climate change, but a real need to meet growing electricity demand while protecting New Jersey’s working families.

Expanding truly clean energy sources like solar and battery storage are the fastest, most affordable way to deliver energy and climate relief - all while creating good-paying union jobs, strengthening our economy, and lowering our dependence on toxic fossil fuels.

At the same time, the explosive growth of energy-intensive artificial intelligence data centers is putting enormous strain on the electric grid and driving up costs for everyday ratepayers. Even as we modernize our grid, we must hold data centers accountable to pay their fair share and bring their own clean energy, not put their profits on the backs of New Jersey ratepayers, including the data center tariff bill to make large load users pay their fair share.

“New Jersey families deserve clean, reliable, and affordable energy, not rising bills driven by corporate greed and outdated systems. As we expand renewable energy, we must also advance legislation that reinforces accountability, ensuring that large corporations and major energy users help pay for the climate and energy impacts they create. A fair clean energy transition puts people first, protects environmental justice communities, and makes sure working families aren’t left footing the bill,” said Assemblywoman Alixon Collazos-Gill.

“I’m proud to stand with the experts at New Jersey LCV as they launch their legislative agenda for this session and continue their critical work advocating for a greener state. At a time when New Jersey is seeing unprecedented demand on our grid, driven by the rapid development of AI data centers, we must ensure that our energy policies are able to reliably and efficiently adapt to these needs while lowering costs for our residents. We cannot allow outdated systems to slow our clean energy transition or continually shift the cost burden onto ratepayers,” said Senator John McKeon.

“PJM keeps New Jersey families paying top dollar for outdated power plants while cheaper, cleaner energy sits on the sidelines. It's long past time for an overhaul that puts affordability first,” said Alex Ambrose, Policy Analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective.

 “New Jersey is facing an affordability crisis with families being forced to choose between paying their electric bills and putting food on the table. We need urgent grid reform to accelerate the interconnection of cheap, clean energy projects to relieve ratepayers in New Jersey and in the region at large, who cannot continue to see price increases. Ultimately, bringing clean energy to New Jersey creates a shift in the larger grid beneficial not just to our state, but everyone in the region in terms of cost, air quality, and public health, said Anjuli Ramos-Busot, NJ Sierra Club Director.

4. Protecting Our Health: Safeguarding New Jersey’s Clean Water

Federal clean water protections are being weakened or rolled back, and  New Jersey must act decisively to safeguard our waterways, drinking water supplies, and the health of our communities.

Legislation to safeguard New Jersey’s waters will establish strong, enforceable protections to prevent pollution and safeguard public health and natural resources.

“As federal clean water protections are rolled back by the current administration, New Jersey must lead the way to protect residents from contaminants like lead or PFAS in our waterways,” said Senator Linda Greenstein. “New Jersey LCV has been a critical partner in sounding the alarm and coming up with innovative solutions to keep our natural resources in pristine condition. I look forward to working with them, along with my colleagues on the Senate Environment and Energy Committee, to make these ideas a reality.”

"Protecting the drinking water of the nearly 10 million New Jersey residents is critically important right now,” said Jennifer M. Coffey, Executive Director Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC). “We are witnessing an unprecedented dismantling of federal policies and norms, including environmental protections. New Jersey has long been a national environmental leader. Now is the time to step up, adopt new laws and policies that ensure our drinking water is clean and free from lead, copper, forever chemicals and other pollutants that impact the health of children and adults.”