On Tuesday, November 4, 2025, New Jersey voters will elect a new governor. South Jersey Climate News reached out to the four General Election candidates with questions about local environmental topics. For other candidate’s responses, see our election coverage.

You can learn more about each candidate in the NJ Decides 2025 Voter Guide, a project of NJ Spotlight News and the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University.

The following is a transcript of a South Jersey Climate News interview with Vic Kaplan.

Governor Murphy’s administration set ambitious goals for renewable energy, aiming for 100% clean energy by 2050. And the Trump administration has halted plans to develop offshore wind energy. So what are your energy goals and how will renewable energy sources fit?

I believe that as governor, I should not have a say in terms of what energy sources should be used, because I do understand that individuals, different people in the state of New Jersey, have a different set of preferences in terms of what energy sources they do want to use. So I would very much want the people of New Jersey to choose the energy sources that they want to use so that, well, first of all, when it comes to the energy prices going up in the state of New Jersey, I would want the people to make those decisions so that the energy prices could come down.

AI and data centers are a growing factor in energy usage. How do your energy plans prepare for these new increases in energy demand – and to who will pay for it?

When it comes to the AI, I do believe that it’s important that when it comes to the AI that any type of water usage and any other types of usage, that is something that should be negotiated with the local governments that have control over water, because the last thing I want to see is the AI using way too much water and undermining the water that the local government is providing for its residents. I would very much want the local governments to negotiate these matters with the AI companies. I’m definitely concerned about this because I definitely do not want to see a lack of water for the local residents where AI data centers are located. So I do want to make sure that those decisions are negotiated between the local governments and the AI data centers.

What are your plans for New Jersey infrastructure and how to reduce the effects on the environment and how do you plan to slow over development? 

So I’ll start with the last question first. I do not believe that the state government should be providing any types of mandates when it comes to housing. I do not believe that. I want to have individuals in the state of New Jersey have access to affordable housing and without having the local governments restrict the ability of the residents to have that access. So I would support working with local governments to change some of the zoning regulations that prevent people from living in affordable housing such as tiny homes, RVs. I also support getting rid of the impact fees from smaller houses that are taxes on smaller houses. 

And I think this would also help reduce homelessness once we have more affordable housing. Now when it comes to the effects of the environment and the infrastructure itself, anything that involves alternative forms of transportation is something that I would support. For example, if one of the two options is building a bridge, for example, or building a highway, it will be more cost effective for residents to use the train stations. That is something that I would support because they would save people money instead of having a costly program that costs taxpayers more money. So anyway, that infrastructure can be built that would save taxpayers money. I understand that in Jersey City, there have been a number of ways being developed that were actually saves money to residents when it comes to taxation. As far as the building of houses concern, that is something that I would definitely favor. 

Warehouse development, in particular, is a growing concern for some communities. How will your administration deal with this issue?

I think it’s very important that places are found in New Jersey when it comes to storage. For example, I know that there are places in Jersey where there are areas where very few people live. For example, in Wallpack, New Jersey, there’s only a population of five people for 25 square miles. And I believe that those could be some of the locations where there’s very few people that could be used for warehouse development. So areas where there are few people live, which would not be affected by warehouse development. That is something that would favor. Even though New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the country, we still have plenty of areas available where very few or no people live. 

What do you see as the state’s role when it comes to electric vehicles?

When it comes to electric vehicles, I don’t believe that as governor I would have a role to choose what type of vehicles, whether they should be electric or any other type of vehicles individuals should be using. So I would not support any kind of subsidies for companies that produce electric vehicles with much rather consumers. The people in New Jersey choose what is best for them without me as governor stepping in and favoring one company over another. 

I’m somebody who opposes corporate welfare and I’m somebody who opposes any types of tax breaks for corporations that would give favors to one corporation over another. I think that all companies should be able to compete on an equal playing field without the state government stepping in and doing favors for any type of company. You know, I know that that also comes hand in hand with donations to political campaigns and I would very much would not want the state government getting involved in choosing what type of vehicles people should be driving. 

If electric vehicles, if that is something that is effective, if that is something that people want, they would buy them without having the state government stepping in and giving on the advantage to electric vehicles. 

Many communities along the Jersey Shore are experiencing issues with sea level rise and routine flooding? What are your plans for helping communities adapt?

I think that when it comes to flooding, this is an area where I believe that local communities can work together and with private organizations and I think this is definitely an area where local governments and private organizations could be helped by building levies and other ways to prevent flooding. 

I do think this is obviously a problem. This is obviously an issue because when communities get flooded, regular people get affected, their property gets affected. This is where their flood insurance, you know, certainly gets affected. So I would want to make sure that there is a greater input coming from the governor when it comes to flooding. I would want to make sure that communities are being protected from flooding when it comes to levies or any other ways to prevent the rising sea levels during the flooding. I know that sometimes it’s a question of drainage and drainage that has not been developed. And so you get, I know that the Pasek River in the past has often gone through flooding areas such as in Paterson in Wayne Township. And so, you know, if that’s, you know, topics like that, areas of that nature, if they could be fixed, I think this would be, you know, this would help quite a lot of people and prevent property damage to residents. So anything that can be done to alleviate those issues is something that I would support. 

Some areas of New Jersey, particularly urban areas, face significant issues with air pollution. How will your administration work for cleaner air?

I would definitely include air pollution as part of the environmental law, including water pollution as well. Now, I know some people think that this is not something that can be prosecuted in the court of law. 

I believe it can. I believe in the “polluter pays” principle. So I very much support that. The idea that tax pressure should not be putting the bill. It should be the polluters that should be putting the bill. So I would deal with this issue through litigation. I think that the state government should have the power to sue and has the power to sue, whether it’s local governments, whether this is being done at, you know, at a state government level when it comes to pollution. If there was pollution even occurring, you know, in another country, let’s say in Canada, I would support state government filing lawsuits because pollution, this is something that affects all people, you know, regardless of where they where they live in New Jersey. So I would definitely support litigation as a way to deal with this. 

I do believe that it should be the polluters that should be footing the bill for cleaning up the pollution and not the taxpayers. I think that’s very much important and it goes very much in line with my own principles.

Clean drinking water is also an issue for some communities. What are your plans for reducing pollutants and contaminants, particularly lead, in local drinking supplies?

Like with pollution in general, I would want to make sure that there is enough testing being done and individuals who are responsible for contaminating the water, which includes lead, should be held responsible. So I wish to support litigation against the polluters. I understand that some people use the drinking water and other people do not. I shouldn’t be just thinking I don’t use it and so I don’t care about other people. So many people have been used to using the drinking water and I know that in parts of New Jersey, the drinking water is definitely not clean. At a minimum, you can see that by the color and the smell. So I would want to make sure that obviously the water is tested. It’s important that you should not have any lead. 

So that is very important. And if it is discovered, if it can be identified, who or what is the corporation or any kind of agency that is responsible for polluting the water, then I believe that that organization, that corporation, should be prosecuted. I think it’s important that the polluters pay for the cost of the pollution. 

I think that those individuals or corporation or any other entity should be prosecuted for the pollution. I think it’s very important that the drinking water that people use is clean. That is what they expect the state to have is, you know, they expect to have clean drinking water and then that is something that I support. And I would definitely support testing the water and making sure that the people responsible for it do get prosecuted if that can be identified. 

New Jersey has multiple policies in place to combat food insecurity, such as the Food Desert Relief Program and Working Class Families’ Anti-Hunger Act. How do you plan to address food insecurity in New Jersey?

I understand there are a lot of agencies that work on delivering food to individuals that lack food due to the low income. And I want to make sure that those individuals can get food.

I know there are private organizations that also do that, not just organizations at a county level. So what I want to do is I would want to have a meeting with all the different organizations, whether they’re on the county level or private level, any level of government, and making sure that those individuals who suffer from food insecurity get their food delivered. Now, I understand that there are organizations that deliver food to school cafeterias, public schools throughout the state. I want to make sure they deliver the food to children. And so I want to make sure that those organizations that they’re working together, working with public schools, making sure that food is delivered to homes, not just to schools, because we do know they’re definitely breakfast and lunch programs at a public school level. They do deliver that.

But it’s also very important that individuals get the food at home. So people who cannot afford food, people who are low income, I want to make sure that all those people can get their needs met, especially with the cuts in food stamp program, with the cuts in the staff program by the federal government. I want to make sure that individuals still can get access to food. I think it’s very important. And certainly food insecurity is something that definitely can lead to a lot of negative consequences, not just for adults, but for children as well. And so it’s very important that everyone has the adequate amount of food to function every single day. 

Finally, the northern part of the state often gets more political and economic attention. What plans do you have specifically for southern New Jersey?

I want to make sure that the southern region is a region where individual needs are met. Of all people, I understand that the areas in South Jersey where individuals who live there live below the poverty line. I want to make sure that their needs are met. 

I would very much want to hear an input, if I were governor, from individuals from the south. And I would appoint people from the south of my cabinet. I mean, I do talk to a number of people who are from the south, but I would want to make sure that the south does have a voice when it comes to the state government of New Jersey. My goal is to make sure that when it comes to, I know hunger was mentioned, when it comes to the environment that, as I mentioned before, environment is being protected, that individuals are being fed, people are being fed regardless whether they live in the north, in the central Jersey or south Jersey. 

I know that one of the questions that was asked was about energy. And if I could expand on that, that is okay. So I’m somebody who lived through the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. And I also very much remember Fukushima. And I understand the concern that a lot of people have about nuclear energy. And I want to make sure that, and I know that in the south, a number of nuclear reactors will be started up. I want to make sure that the nuclear reactors are safe. 

I want very much to make sure that that is the case. And I do understand the concern that people have. I also know that there are other countries where nuclear reactors are being used for nuclear energy. And I would want to make sure that when those nuclear reactors are being used in the south, that people’s concerns about safety are being satisfied. And so that you don’t have more people being concerned about the safety of nuclear reactors. 

I know that this is an important topic. I do not believe as governor, like I said, I would want to pick what type of energy people should be using. But nevertheless, to the extent that any form of energy is being used, I do want to make sure that it’s safe. So when it comes to testing, when it comes to nuclear power plants, I would want to make sure that they are safe. And that, and again, this would also come from the concern that people have. 

I’m fully aware that in the 1980s, there were a lot of protests, especially after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster against the building of nuclear power plants. And I would want to make sure that they are safe. Again, as governor, I do not believe that would be my power to kind of choose what type of energy people should be using. But as long as they’re using any type of energy, I do believe that it’s important that it is safe for all people. 

Even though this is not specifically tied to any type of the environmental policy, I do believe that if the level of taxation was brought down, if people had more money, if more money was available for local governments, and that does include the south, right? And this would be through the gradual repeal of the state income tax and the replacement of it with user fees. And nine states would not have a state income tax, and we did not have one before 1976. So if that money that would be coming from the state income tax was held within each local government, I think that more money would be available for any sorts of projects that people would try to use on a local level. 

 think if more funds were available, I think that would help people in the south to come up with any sort of project that we want to do on an environmental level. And without, you know, me as governor kind of having a say. So because I do believe in having more of a local control over local decision matters, that is what I very much want. 

I do not know what is best for 9 million people. In a sense, I mean, other than the basics, I don’t want people obviously to be physically hurt. I do believe that the power of the state is to protect individuals, natural rights, life, liberty, and property. And I certainly want to make sure that individuals, people are safe. 

I very much believe that if people in not just in the south, but in the north and central New Jersey, had more money available, if private organizations had more money available, if local governments had more money available, then I think they could best answer the concerns of the people who live in South Jersey in terms of finding solutions to the local problems that they’re having or the local demand for any types of projects, any types of spending of the local money. So that is what I believe in.