New Jersey State Legislators Introduce Bill to Reduce Air Pollution Linked to Warehouses and Ports

(Trenton, New Jersey – July 1, 2024) New Jersey State Senator John McKeon (D-27) and Assembly member Andrea Katz (D-8) introduced a bill Friday that would require warehouses, ports and other high-traffic facilities to take necessary steps to reduce health-harming pollution.

The Warehouse and Port Pollution Reduction Act (S3546/A4679) comes at a time when roughly one in three New Jersey residents lives near a mega-warehouse, as detailed in a recent EDF report, co-released with the Coalition for Healthy Ports NY/NJ. The trucks that serve these facilities are mainly diesel powered, and their emissions have been clearly linked to health issues including asthma, cardiovascular disease and premature death.

The bill builds upon similar indirect source review efforts in states such as California that are already seeing success in the fight against diesel pollution, and would provide cleaner air for everyone in New Jersey. Notably, most warehouses are located near Black, Latino and Indigenous communities and communities with low wealth, which bear an enormous and unequal burden of chronic exposure to air pollution; this bill would provide particular relief to these communities.

“Everyone in New Jersey should be able to breathe clean air, but far too many people do not because of the traffic-related pollution near warehouses and ports. This important bill would provide needed relief for communities while still providing flexibility for facility operators. We are grateful to Senator McKeon and Assembly member Katz for their important leadership to lower air pollution and improve health outcomes for all New Jerseyans,” commented Karla Sosa, Project Manager, New Jersey State Affairs.