Announces $75,000 Donation to UCI for Living Shoreline Pilot Project

In celebration of Earth Day, New Jersey Resources (NYSE: NJR), the parent company of New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG), announced a $75,000 donation to Monmouth University’s Urban Coast Institute (UCI) to support the Clam Cove Living Shoreline Pilot Project – and the stabilization and restoration of coastal wetlands in the Barnegat Bay watershed.

“In recognition of Earth Day, New Jersey Resources is pleased to support the Clam Cove Living Shoreline project and the vital work of Monmouth University’s Urban Coast Institute, as well as its project partners,” said Steve Westhoven, president and CEO of New Jersey Resources. “Protecting New Jersey’s coastal ecosystems directly aligns with our efforts to enhance environmental stewardship through our Coastal Climate Initiative.”

The Clam Cove Living Shoreline Pilot Project was identified as a priority by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The primary goals of the pilot project are to stabilize a widening breach in the cove and reduce the loss of marshland. Additionally, the planned work will support carbon sequestration through the installation of a natural oyster reef breakwater. These efforts will help provide increased resiliency to the Long Beach Township community and improve habitats for fish, birds and other species.

"The township has been focused on restoration work at Clam Cove since we acquired the parcel and are happy to have the support from Monmouth’s UCI and NJR for this project. We have been working closely with UCI and other partners on this site for a couple of years and look forward to putting our recycled shell to good work protecting the shorelines of our critical bay islands," said Long Beach Township Mayor Joseph Mancini.

The UCI is one of Monmouth University’s Centers of Distinction. It advances research, education and collaboration in the development and implementation of science-based programs and policies that support the stewardship of healthy and resilient coastal ecosystems and communities. Once complete, the living shoreline will also serve as an outdoor laboratory for local educators, scientists and students to monitor and study oyster recruitment, sediment accretion, species diversity, as well as erosion and wave energy.

“The lessons learned from this work will help form strategies for restoring sensitive tidal marsh areas throughout our coastal bays, which we’ve been losing at a rapid rate over the last 50 years,” UCI Director Tony MacDonald said. “The project will also serve as an excellent opportunity for Monmouth students to gain hands-on experience doing scientific field work and community engagement. We are very grateful for NJR’s commitment to sustainability and support for the UCI’s work with Long Beach Township, which will make the community more resilient to sea level rise and climate change.”

As a company headquartered at the Jersey Shore, NJR launched the Coastal Climate Initiative (CCI) in 2021 to advance environmental restoration, preservation and stewardship opportunities in our coastal communities and beyond. This includes providing $2 million in funding over five years to support projects and programs to improve climate change resiliency and ecosystem services, community engagement and education.

CCI works across the following pillars:

• Customer-based Donation Program – a dollar-for-dollar match by NJR for donations from NJNG customers to CCI. This funding program supports the coastal restoration and ecosystem enhancement efforts along New Jersey’s shoreline communities.
• Direct Project Investment - financial support for organizations, such as UCI, to advance coastal resiliency and ecosystem service projects.
• Volunteerism – community service opportunities for NJR employees, retirees and their families to participate in environment improvement projects that align with CCI’s mission of improving coastal habitats, community resiliency and nature-based solutions that protect against effects of climate change.

Today’s announcement builds on NJR’s strong record as a leader on environmental and climate issues across its businesses, including its goal to voluntarily achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from its New Jersey operations by 2050. NJR achieved the following sustainability milestones over the past year:

• Achieved the company’s highest single-year energy-efficiency investment of $60 million helping customers reduce their energy consumption and emissions.
• Advanced cutting-edge, lower-carbon energy solutions, including carbon capture technology and high-efficiency gas heat pumps in NJR’s own facilities.
• Completed North America’s largest capped landfill solar array and largest floating solar array – both located in New Jersey – solidifying NJR Clean Energy Ventures’ national leadership in innovative renewable energy.
• Maintained New Jersey’s most environmentally sound distribution system, with the fewest leaks per mile of any natural gas utility in the state.
• Named one of America’s Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek for the fifth consecutive year – one of only 156 companies nationwide to be recognized every year since 2020.

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 nearly 576,000 customers in New Jersey’s Monmouth, Ocean and parts of Morris, Middlesex, Sussex and Burlington counties.
• Clean Energy Ventures invests in, owns and operates solar projects with a total capacity of approximately 469 megawatts, providing residential and commercial 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 Energy Center 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™ and The Sunlight Advantage^®.

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