New Jersey Resources Expands Coastal Climate Initiative, Environmental Stewardship Efforts With Milestone Funding Announcement

In conjunction with its 71^st Annual Shareowners Meeting, New Jersey Resources (NYSE: NJR) today released its fiscal 2023 Corporate Sustainability Report highlighting the company’s progress on Environmental, Societal and Governance (ESG) priorities and its sustainability agenda.

NJR also announced a milestone five-year funding commitment of $560,000 from its charitable foundation to advance local environmental improvements in partnership with New Jersey Audubon. This gift is made possible through NJR’s 2023 pledge to commit $2 million over five years through its charities, supporting the work of its Coastal Climate Initiative (CCI) on natural resource and environmental stewardship in the communities it serves.

The $560,000 in funding will support New Jersey Audubon’s efforts to preserve, restore and enhance the habitats and resiliency of the Hovnanian Sanctuary in Berkeley Township, Ocean County, New Jersey - part of the Pinelands National Reserve.

“New Jersey Resources is committed to delivering results for our stakeholders and leading with action on our sustainability initiatives,” said Steve Westhoven, President and CEO of New Jersey Resources. “Our company continues to drive cleaner energy innovation forward, while making a difference in the communities we serve.”

“NJR’s milestone funding commitment and partnership with New Jersey Audubon punctuates our progress on sustainability issues,” Westhoven said. “Working together on this project helps restore an important local ecosystem, improving resiliency and sustainability in our communities for generations to come. Through commitments like this and our Coastal Climate Initiative, NJR is leading on environmental stewardship in our state.”

NJR’s charitable gift will help support:

• Restoration and enhancement of over 100 acres of upland forest in part to reduce the risk of wildfire to local communities and residents, improve water quality and enhance the climate resiliency of the forest.
• Enhancement and restoration of an additional 15+ acres of Atlantic white cedar forest to help reverse the decline of this critical natural resource in the Barnegat Bay watershed that provides important ecological and weather resilience benefits to coastal areas.
• Development of new and improved recreational opportunities for the area’s residents and visitors, including five miles of walking trails, public access points, mapping, and signage.

“New Jersey Resources shares our commitment to the responsible and proactive stewardship of our environment, understanding these efforts result in stronger, more resilient communities, said Alex Ireland, president and CEO of New Jersey Audubon. “Working together under this partnership agreement, NJR and New Jersey Audubon are building a more sustainable future for New Jersey wildlife. The critical funding provided by NJR will help restore and preserve environmentally sensitive areas in the Pinelands National Reserve, with a focus on climate resiliency, water improvements, and wildlife habitat restoration. We appreciate NJR’s continued commitment to these efforts through its Coastal Climate Initiative, enabling environmental stewardship in fragile ecosystems where attention is most needed.”