New Head of NJ DEP

[Gerry Zagorski]

Environmental activist Ed Potosnak is Sherrill’s choice to lead DEP
New governor will nominate head of the League of Conservation Voters as commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
By David Wildstein, January 16 2026 2:02 pm

Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill has picked Ed Potosnak, the head of one of the state’s largest grassroots environmental groups, to serve as Commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Potosnak has spent the last fourteen years as executive director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters.

He is currently a Franklin Township councilman and has served as deputy mayor. He was re-elected to a second term last year with 75% of the vote against Republican challenger Christopher Lenzy. Potosnak, who was sworn in earlier this month, will likely resign his local office, triggering an appointment and special election to fill his unexpired term.

The LCV endorsed Sherrill early in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, and their political action committee spent about $1.7 million in support of her general election campaign.

“Ed Potosnak is a proven leader who will be critical in our efforts to preserve New Jersey’s protect residents from flooding and extreme weather and remediate contaminated sites. He will bring his experience as a licensed contractor to the department to prioritize cutting through red tape and reducing permitting times,” said Sherrill. “Ed has a strong track record of bringing people to the table to develop solutions that work best for the communities they serve. I look forward to working with Ed, energy and business professionals, and advocates to protect our environment while growing our economy.”

As an environmental activist, Potosnak has advocated for the development of offshore wind, reducing single-use plastics, ensuring clean, safe drinking water, reducing “dirty air,” expanding open space, mitigating the state’s risk from rising sea levels associated with frequent storms, and tackling global climate change.
Potosnak also owns a local construction firm and works as a part-time lecturer at Rutgers University. He served on the Franklin Township Board of Education from 2014 to 2021.

In 2010, Potosnak ran for Congress in New Jersey’s 7th district against Republican Leonard Lance (R-Clinton Township), then a freshman congressman. Lance won by 33,156 votes, 59.4% to 40.6%. He was unopposed in the in the Democratic primary.

A former chemistry teacher, Potosnak worked on the congressional staff of Rep. Mike Honda, a California Democrat.

Potosnak chairs the New Jersey Keep It Green Coalition and the New Jersey State Lead for the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed. Gov. Phil Murphy appointed him to the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.

He succeeds Shawn LaTourette, who was named to the cabinet post by Gov. Phil Murphy in January 2021 and has worked at the DEP for the entirety of Murphy’s two terms as governor.

“Throughout her career, Governor-elect Sherrill has delivered for New Jerseyans on key environmental issues like flood mitigation, cleaning up toxic PFAS and Brownfields sites, and investing in cheap, clean energy like solar,” stated Potosnak. “As a licensed contractor, I understand the struggles that business owners face while trying to get state permits, and as Commissioner, I look forward to streamlining that process so we’re ensuring government is being responsive to job creators while protecting our state’s natural resources.”

This is from AI

Ed Potosnak, the Executive Director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters (NJLCV), generally views hunting and fishing as integral components of New Jersey’s outdoor recreation and conservation landscape.

His views are characterized by several key themes:
Support for Outdoor Recreation: Potosnak advocates for the preservation of "open space" not only for environmental protection but specifically to support outdoor recreation, including hunting and fishing.
Coalition Leadership: He serves as a board member for NJ Keep It Green, a coalition that explicitly includes hunting and fishing organizations among its 150+ members dedicated to land conservation.
Economic Value: He highlights that outdoor recreation in New Jersey—a sector that includes hunting and fishing—is a significant economic boon, valued at over $20 billion.
Personal Connection: Potosnak has a personal history with these activities, having grown up fishing, swimming, and boating in New Jersey.

[hammer4reel]

Only time will tell .
If you read the website where he chaired it’s not as hunter /fisher friendly .
Highly political , pro wind farm etc .

the other page keep it green is a little more hunter/ fisher friendly .

Nj needs major work to both hunting and fishing habitats . So hopefully that’s the direction he pushes .

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