Governor Murphy Outlines Comprehensive Statewide Plan to Address Lead Exposure in New Jersey
Governor Phil Murphy unveiled his comprehensive statewide plan to address lead exposure in New Jersey to protect all residents, especially children, from the dangers of lead. The plan identifies policy actions across multiple state departments and agencies to comprehensively address lead exposure due to lead-based paint, lead service lines and plumbing, and contaminated soil.
“Our country’s deteriorating water infrastructure has sparked a national conversation regarding the best path forward to protect our communities from the dangers of lead exposure,” said Governor Murphy. “While modernizing our aging water infrastructure is a critical piece in ensuring access to clean, safe drinking water, we must also work creatively and collaboratively to prevent lead exposure from lead-based paint in homes and contaminated soil in our communities. My comprehensive statewide plan brings together experts from our cabinet departments, stakeholders, and advocates to create strong partnerships and implement policies to protect New Jersey’s children and families from lead. Together, guided by the actions outlined in our strategy, we will overcome this public health challenge that has been building for decades to ensure that our residents are safe from lead exposure for generations to come.”
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Governor Murphy, Congressman Gottheimer Announce New Efforts to Ensure New Jersey Schools Have Access to Clean Water
Governor Phil Murphy and Congressman Josh Gottheimer announced several initiatives to strengthen the State’s response to lead testing and the remediation of elevated lead levels in drinking water in New Jersey schools to ensure all students have access to clean, safe water.
“New Jersey’s aging water infrastructure has ignited a statewide discussion regarding the best path forward to protect residents from the dangers of lead,” said Governor Murphy. “By mobilizing the state’s resources to incorporate rigorous testing standards, modernize reporting mechanisms, and repair critical water infrastructure, we are strengthening our efforts to overcome a statewide challenge that has been building over many decades. My Administration is working with all levels of government and across several departments to ensure that New Jersey’s students, educators, and residents have access to clean, safe drinking water for generations to come.”
"Every child deserves to drink water that’s free of lead, and every parent deserves to know if their child’s school has lead in their pipes, sinks, or water fountains. We're here to announce steps to give parents and communities easy-to-access and up-to-date information on their child’s school’s water. It’s a level of transparency many of us have been calling for, for years now," said U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer. "Last Congress, a key piece of my bipartisan Lead-Free Schools Act was enacted into law, creating a targeted pilot program with existing resources to improve drinking water infrastructure in schools nationwide with lead in their water. And right now, I’m working on new federal legislation to claw the resources back to New Jersey, from the Moocher States, needed to help our schools identify and replace all lead pipes -- and to promote transparency by making the results accessible to families online."
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Governor Murphy, Congressman Gottheimer Announce New Efforts to Ensure New Jersey Schools Have Access to Clean Water
Governor Phil Murphy and Congressman Josh Gottheimer announced several initiatives to strengthen the State’s response to lead testing and the remediation of elevated lead levels in drinking water in New Jersey schools to ensure all students have access to clean, safe water.
“New Jersey’s aging water infrastructure has ignited a statewide discussion regarding the best path forward to protect residents from the dangers of lead,” said Governor Murphy. “By mobilizing the state’s resources to incorporate rigorous testing standards, modernize reporting mechanisms, and repair critical water infrastructure, we are strengthening our efforts to overcome a statewide challenge that has been building over many decades. My Administration is working with all levels of government and across several departments to ensure that New Jersey’s students, educators, and residents have access to clean, safe drinking water for generations to come.”
"Every child deserves to drink water that’s free of lead, and every parent deserves to know if their child’s school has lead in their pipes, sinks, or water fountains. We're here to announce steps to give parents and communities easy-to-access and up-to-date information on their child’s school’s water. It’s a level of transparency many of us have been calling for, for years now," said U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer. "Last Congress, a key piece of my bipartisan Lead-Free Schools Act was enacted into law, creating a targeted pilot program with existing resources to improve drinking water infrastructure in schools nationwide with lead in their water. And right now, I’m working on new federal legislation to claw the resources back to New Jersey, from the Moocher States, needed to help our schools identify and replace all lead pipes -- and to promote transparency by making the results accessible to families online."
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Governor Murphy Delivers Keynote Address at Resiliency Summit Promoting Mental Health in the Law Enforcement Community
Governor Murphy delivered the keynote address at the first ever Resiliency Summit promoting mental health in the law enforcement community. At the summit, Governor Murphy presented Attorney General Gurbir Grewal with a proclamation declaring October 10th to be New Jersey Law Enforcement Resiliency Day.
“Our men and women in uniform make sacrifices – big and small – every day to keep the people of New Jersey safe,” said Governor Murphy. “In turn, we owe them the support they need to excel in both their professional and personal lives. Promoting mental health and preventing suicides within the law enforcement community is a critical step in ensuring that our officers and their families are prepared to deal with stresses experienced on the job. No one should ever suffer alone in silence.”
Governor Murphy Visits Wayside Elementary School in Ocean Township to Highlight Success of Preschool Funding
Governor Phil Murphy, alongside Senator Vin Gopal, Assemblywoman Joann Downey, Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling, and Department of Education Commission Lamont O. Repollet, visited Wayside Elementary School in Ocean Township to tour a new high-quality preschool program that benefitted from this year’s state funding increase of more than $68 million for early childhood education.
“For the very first time, Ocean Township schools are receiving direct state aid for pre-K, allowing for an expansion of full-day classrooms to serve our youngest learners,” said Governor Murphy. “Every dollar we invest in pre-K makes New Jersey a more affordable place for our middle-class and working families. Making this investment is how we maintain our position as a national leader in education and build a stronger and fairer economy that works for every family.”
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First Lady Tammy Murphy Announces Initiative to Incorporate Climate Change into Education Guidelines for K-12 Schools
First Lady Tammy Murphy announced her initiative to incorporate climate change education into New Jersey’s K-12 academic standards. Over the past several months, the First Lady has met with the over 130 educators from across the state who have been charged with reviewing and revising the existing student learning standards, a process that occurs every five years. During these meetings, First Lady Murphy, in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Education, has implored these educators to incorporate climate change education into all nine content areas— 21st Century Life and Careers, Comprehensive Health and Physical Education, English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Technology, Visual and Performing Arts, and World Languages.
“We have already begun to feel the effects of climate change here in New Jersey.” said First Lady Tammy Murphy. “Our shorelines are disappearing, rain comes in torrential downpours, and our summers are blazing hot. But, it is not enough to understand climate change from solely a scientific perspective. We have an obligation to our kids to prepare them for the reality that awaits them as adults—and that reality will include the effects of climate change across almost every aspect of their lives.”
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Official Site of The State of New Jersey
