The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously cleared the nomination of Ed Potosnak to be the commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection on Thursday.
In remarks before the committee, Potosnak said he would help the state make permitting more efficient, bolster its resilience against storms, and balance the needs of the state’s economic and environmental needs.
“We will dismantle once and for all this myth that environmental and economic health must somehow be at odds,” Potosnak said. “And our work will not stop there. Under the Sherrill administration, improving opportunity while cultivating healthier and safer communities for all New Jersey residents serves as the foundation of all of our work.”
Sherrill picked Potosnak, the former executive director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, for the job in January. The LCV endorsed Sherrill early in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, and their political action committee spent about $1.7 million in support of her general election campaign.
Potosnak said the DEP is obtaining grants to restore wetlands and dunes along the Jersey Shore as the changing climate takes a stronger toll against the region, and also said the state is looking to expand its electric school bus program.
“Those shore reconstruction projects create natural areas that help to create resiliency and protect communities,” he said.
Allison McLeod, the interim executive director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, celebrated the advancement of his nomination.
“Ed has spent over a decade proving that we don’t have to choose between a healthy planet and a thriving economy,” McLeod said. “He understands that by investing in clean energy and green infrastructure, we can protect our natural resources while lowering costs for working families.”
Potosnak’s nomination will now go before the whole state Senate.