“Ask Governor Murphy” — your chance to present questions to New Jersey’s governor live, on-air — returns Thursday, Feb. 2.
Listen Live on WNYC. “Ask Governor Murphy” is a production of WBGO in Newark, in partnership with WNYC and WHYY. It’s hosted by WNYC and Gothamist reporter Nancy Solomon.
What’s taking so long?
It’s been two years and four months since Gov. Phil Murphy signed the strongest environmental justice law in the country. It requires the state to prioritize the public health of communities that already have a high number of polluting facilities before issuing a permit for a new project.
But community activists that fought for the bill said they were frustrated that they're still waiting for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to establish rules and regulations for the new law. We’ll ask Murphy about that.
New power plants are being proposed in Newark and Woodbridge, and community activists in those towns object to new fossil fuel-burning facilities. Meanwhile, the governor is also facing pressure to slow down his landmark investments in wind energy as part of the state’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and slow climate change. We’ll find out what the governor has to say about these conflicting politics and pressures, too.
Here are some other issues we might ask Gov. Murphy about:
- A federal judge has once again restricted New Jersey’s ability to control where the public is allowed to carry a gun, after another ruling put temporary limits on the state’s new gun law earlier this month. What is next in the state’s legal arsenal against gun violence?
- Murphy appeared alongside President Joe Biden this week to announce federal funding for the new Hudson River train tunnel. But when is it actually going to get built?
- State budget season begins this month. A Republican state senator is asking for more transparency, in particular in how New Jersey uses its federal COVID funds. Is there a better way to do this?
Those are just some of the topics on our minds, but we want to hear from you.
What will you Ask Gov. Murphy?
- Ask your question online at this Google form or tweet at us by using #AskGovMurphy.
- Or call (973) 297-0941 to join us on the air.