New Jersey Resources Highlights the Success of the Coastal Climate Initiative in Celebration of Earth Day

Created to help raise awareness about important environmental issues affecting the world around us, Earth Day has grown into a call to action to promote conservation, advance environmental sustainability best practices and protect the planet. For 55 years it has been inspiring people to get involved and help make a difference in their local communities. New Jersey Resources (NYSE: NJR), the parent company of New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG), has worked to answer this call through its Coastal Climate Initiative (CCI).

“New Jersey Resources has a long history of leadership on environmental stewardship and support for our local communities,” said Katie Feery, director of Sustainability at New Jersey Resources. “As a company with significant operations along New Jersey’s coast, we created the Coastal Climate Initiative to invest in projects that have meaningful impact in the local communities we serve – protecting our ecosystems and building resilience. To date, we have committed more than $1.2 million to advance one-time and multi-year projects that will have long-term benefits for our environment.”

Launched in 2021, CCI is an umbrella program for NJR’s commitment to environmental and natural resource stewardship efforts, including financial support for projects, employee volunteerism and other forms of direct engagement. In 2023, the company pledged up to $2 million over five years from its charitable foundations to support environmental stewardship initiatives throughout its service territory. Over the past two years, NJR has committed over 60% of that funding to support vital projects that improve coastal ecology, community resiliency and nature-based solutions that help protect against the effects of climate change.

These projects include:

• The Monmouth Conservation Foundation’s (MCF) and its work to restore and protect the Scudder Preserve. This 90-acre natural habitat located in Middletown, New Jersey is home to century forest, grasslands, streams and riparian corridors, ponds and nature trails. NJR’s support will help MCF conduct a natural resource inventory and create a site restoration and management plan for the property, as well as launch an educational outreach program. These efforts support forest, biodiversity and ecosystem restoration and expand public access through trail and facility improvements allowing local communities to benefit from this open space.
• Monmouth University’s Urban Coast Institute (UCI) and its support of the Clam Cove Living Shoreline Pilot Project in Long Beach Township. The project was identified as a priority by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. As one of several key stakeholders involved with the project, UCI is committed to helping stabilize a widening breach in the cove and reduce the loss of marshland. These efforts support increased resiliency to the local communities and help improve habitats for fish, birds and other species.
• The Conserve Wildlife Foundation and its efforts to preserve rare and imperiled wildlife species that live, breed and migrate in New Jersey. NJR’s support will help Conserve Wildlife with a beach nesting bird survey focused on the American Oystercatcher – a species that serves as an indicator for healthy ecosystems and a bellwether for potential impacts of climate change. It also includes the development of a new educational curriculum focused on the Monmouth County watershed and at-risk wildlife in NJR’s service territory and the development of baseline mapping of habitats to inform potential future resilience opportunities.
• New Jersey Audubon and its leadership on the stewardship and resilience of the 500-acre Hovnanian Sanctuary located in Berkley Township, New Jersey and within the Pinelands National Reserve. Work includes the restoration of over 100 acres of upland forest, which will help improve water quality and enhance climate resiliency, as well as reduce the risk of wildfire; enhancement of 15+ acres of Atlantic white cedar forest to help protect this critical natural resource and the ecological and resiliency benefits it provides; and the development of improved recreational opportunities, such as walking rails, public access points, mapping and signage.
• Rutgers University School of Environmental and Biological Sciences and the launch of its inaugural Vibrant Communities Program’s sustainability and resiliency project in Manitou Park, located in South Toms River Borough. The project’s focus will be on the creation and implementation of a sustainable landscaping master plan, as well as ongoing stewardship and management plan to maintain and improve the facility for long-term benefit to the community.
• The Natural Resources Education Foundation to support the expansion and preservation, education and research work for shoreline stabilization and restoration at The Lighthouse Center. The Lighthouse Center is a 200-acre property of diverse coastal habitat in Waretown, Ocean County.

To learn more about CCI and NJR’s sustainability efforts, visit: https://www.njrsustainability.com/.

About New Jersey Resources:

New Jersey Resources (NYSE: NJR) is a Fortune 1000 company that, through its subsidiaries, provides safe and reliable natural gas and clean energy services, including transportation, distribution, asset management and home services. NJR is composed of five primary businesses:

• New Jersey Natural Gas, NJR’s principal subsidiary, operates and maintains natural gas transportation and distribution infrastructure to serve customers in New Jersey’s Monmouth, Ocean, Morris, Middlesex, Sussex and Burlington counties.
• Clean Energy Ventures invests in, owns and operates solar projects, providing customers with low-carbon solutions.
• Energy Services manages a diversified portfolio of natural gas transportation and storage assets and provides physical natural gas services and customized energy solutions to its customers across North America.
• Storage and Transportation serves customers from local distributors and producers to electric generators and wholesale marketers through its ownership of Leaf River and the Adelphia Gateway Pipeline, as well as our 50% equity ownership in the Steckman Ridge natural gas storage facility.
• Home Services provides service contracts as well as heating, central air conditioning, water heaters, standby generators, solar and other indoor and outdoor comfort products to residential homes throughout New Jersey.

NJR and its over 1,300 employees are committed to helping customers save energy and money by promoting conservation and encouraging efficiency through Conserve to Preserve® and initiatives such as SAVEGREEN®.

For more information about NJR:
www.njresources.com.
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