Sample Letters to the Governor

     The following are some samples of a  letter that you can send to the Governor protesting Light Pollution in New Jersey.

                             The Honorable John S Corzine
                             Governor of New Jersey
                             P.O. Box 001
                             Trenton, New Jersey 08625

                             Re: Light Pollution

                             Dear Governor Corzine:

     These letters cover all types of outdoor lighting and should be perceived as coming from the general public, not a special interest group like Amateur Astronomers.  Since astronomers represent less that one percent of the public, you are not a serious voting threat.

     Before writing your letter, please read the “Article for Astronomers”.  Also, you can customize the letter a bit so that it doesn’t look like a “form letter”.  Keep in mind that if you convert from non-cutoff to cutoff streetlights, energy use is usually about the same.  However,  other types of outdoor lighting installed by many businesses far exceed IES recommendations and the energy savings can be very significant.

Letter 1

     New Jersey has the most light polluted roadways in the United States.  Needless glare and excessive levels of light wastes energy.  The blobs-of-glare from the globes of non-cutoff light fixtures causes discomfort and distraction as we drive, especially for seniors.  This must stop.  It is time to install cutoff lighting like most other States have been doing to reduce this senseless glare.

     All of this is explained in the article “Lets All Reduce Light Pollution”, appearing in the 5/04 issue of New Jersey Municipalities magazine.

Letter 2

     Why has the State of New Jersey done so little to reduce light pollution.  How can we have a Board of Public Utilities Tariff that authorizes technologically obsolete non-cutoff streetlights and incompetently installed Electric Utility Floodlights that cause so much glare and light trespass.  New Jersey should be using cutoff streetlights and not allow the Utilities to install excessively illuminated and inappropriately positioned floodlights on wooden power-line poles.

     If our engineers can’t figure out how other States are able to install the proper Kind of lighting equipment, then it’s time to replace them with more qualified personnel.
     This not only affects humans, but birds and other wildlife as well.  Lets stop light polluting our environment so that we can all see better.

Letter 3

     Why have the New Jersey Light Pollution Study Commission recommendations been ignored?  We will end up being the only State left in the nation with so much light pollution?  Most business lighting is terrible.  Car dealers, fast food restaurants, shopping malls and industrial parks spill outrageous levels of light in unwanted directions.  Schools and government buildings can be as bad.   

     Why hasn’t the NJ Department of Community Affairs established codes and standards following the guidelines of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America?  Why hasn’t  New Jersey developed training programs for designers and installers of lighting equipment?  Why do we allow such energy waste?   It’s time for this administration to protect the public from the environmental abuses of light pollution.

Letter 4

     Eatontown has adopted a lighting ordinance that controls unnecessary light pollution.  Their Shopping malls, car dealers and industrial park lighting avoids glare and provides more than ample lighting levels that are safe and effective without wasting energy.  In addition, after business hours lighting levels are sensibly reduced .  

     Unfortunately, NJDOT roadways like Routes 18, 35 and 36 passing through Eatontown and the State Motor Vehicle facility in Eatontown contaminate their environment with light pollution.  
     When will the New Jersey Departments of State Get it right and follow the recommendations of the New Jersey Light Pollution Study Commission.. 

Letter 5

     The NJ Turnpike has been installing glare-free roadway lights for many years, but there are sections like the Secaucus area with high poles that is terrible.  The Garden State Parkway now seems to be installing cutoff lights that are excellent, but why have non-cutoff lights just been installed on the bridge crossing the Raritan River?  Also, why allow gas stations on the Parkway to install such blinding lights? When returning to properly lighted sections of the roadway, it is often difficult to for our eyes to adjust.

     It’s time to stop the glare so we can all drive more safely.