New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

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State of New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Agency overview
Formed	April 22, 1970
Jurisdiction	New Jersey
Headquarters	401 E. State Street, 7th Floor, East Wing, Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0402
Agency executive	Shawn M. LaTourette, Commissioner
Child agencies	New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry
Website	www.nj.gov/dep/

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) is a government agency in the U.S. state of New Jersey that is responsible for managing the state's natural resources and addressing issues related to pollution. NJDEP now has a staff of approximately 2,850.

The department was created on April 22, 1970, America's first official Earth Day, making it the third state in the country to combine its environmental activities into a single, unified agency, with about 1,400 employees in five divisions, charged with responsibility for environmental protection and conservation efforts. Governor William T. Cahill appointed Richard J. Sullivan as the first commissioner.^[1]

In December 2017, Catherine McCabe was nominated by New Jersey governor-elect Phil Murphy to serve as Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.^[2] Shawn M. LaTourette succeeded her in January 2021. Other former Commissioners have included Lisa P. Jackson and Bradley M. Campbell.