Gov. Murphy rejects 5-cent fee on plastic bags in New Jersey

[TexasTowelie]

Gov. Phil Murphy plans to veto a bill that would have instituted a five-cent fee on single-use plastic and paper bags in New Jersey.

State Sen. Bob Smith, D-Middlesex, announced the impending veto Thursday during a joint legislative hearing in Toms River to discuss the options to reduce plastic waste including bags, straws and micro-plastics.

Parts of the room erupted in cheers at the announcement including academics and environmentalists who favor an outright ban on plastic bags rather than a fee. The Sierra Club, among others, support a ban instead of a fee.

As the bill remained pending, several towns rushed to issue plastic bans so their stricter regulations would be grandfathered in if the 5-cent fee statewide bill were signed. Now, they can have more time to establish those stricter bans, said Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.

Read more: https://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2018/08/gov_murphy_trashes_plastic_bag_fee_for_nj_with_vet.html