Debra Coyle, Author at Work Environment Council

Report urges stricter train safety, transparency rules 13 years after derailment

A new report urges New Jersey to step up oversight of hazardous rail-borne freight nearly 13 years after a derailment in Paulsboro released tens of thousands of gallons of a toxic gas that left 60 hospitalized. The new report from New Jersey Policy Perspective, a left-leaning Trenton-based think tank, seeks more transparency on train routes and the creation of evacuation zones along them to guard residents against toxic spills. Read the full story in the New jersey Monitor here.

By Debra Coyle|2026-07-09T13:37:57-04:00November 28th, 2025|Uncategorized|Comments Off

EPA issues new rules to prevent chemical disasters; DEP to strengthen its legal safeguards

New Jersey will be upgrading its state chemical safety regulation to implement the new, stronger federal protections against chemical releases, fires and explosions. The news comes after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency implemented a new national rule on March 1, Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection implements and enforces the federal rules and must adopt the new EPA rules, known as the “Risk Management Program,” if stronger than existing state law. Read the full story on ROI here.

By Debra Coyle|2026-07-09T15:21:55-04:00March 4th, 2024|Highlights, Uncategorized, WEC in the News|Comments Off

US EPA ISSUES NEW RULES TO PREVENT CHEMICAL DISASTERS: NEW JERSEY TO STRENGTHEN ITS LEGAL SAFEGUARDS

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new national rule, Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention, issued on March 1, 2024, will lead to New Jersey upgrading its own state chemical safety regulation to implement the new, stronger federal protections against chemical releases, fires, and explosions. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) implements and enforces the federal rules and must adopt the new EPA rules, known as the “Risk Management Program” (or RMP), if stronger than existing state law. The rules cover approximately 90 New Jersey facilities across the state that use extraordinarily hazardous substances above specified quantities. Read the full story on Insider NJ here.

By Debra Coyle|2026-07-24T11:43:27-04:00March 4th, 2024|Highlights, Press Releases, Uncategorized, WEC in the News|Comments Off

Jersey Renews Coalition and Labor Allies Call on Legislative Leadership to Continue Support for Offshore Wind

The Jersey Renews Coalition and labor allies submitted a letter co-signed by 17 labor unions and labor advocate organizations to Senate President Scutari and Assembly Speaker Coughlin calling for continued, strong support for the development of offshore wind in New Jersey. The letter demonstrated broad support for offshore wind from unions representing workers in building and construction trades, service sectors, manufacturing, and the public sector. Read more here from Insider NJ.

By Debra Coyle|2026-07-09T13:48:27-04:00February 16th, 2024|Highlights, Uncategorized, WEC in the News|Comments Off

Empowering American labor: A clean energy revolution to combat climate change

OP-ED by William Sproule is the executive secretary-treasurer of the Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters; Debra Coyle is executive director of the New Jersey Work Environment Council and co-coordinator of Jersey Renews. The recent winter weather events served as a stark preview of the challenges we can anticipate in a changing climate. From the bitter cold snaps that gripped the U.S., exacerbating respiratory issues, to the unprecedented snowstorms and freezing conditions, Mother Nature’s impact during the winter months was particularly harsh. Amidst this winter challenge, it is crucial to acknowledge that climate change is not confined to summer concerns. Winter brings its own set of issues, especially for those with respiratory illnesses. A warming planet leads to more extreme and unpredictable weather patterns and can affect air quality, making breathing difficult, especially for individuals with preexisting conditions, during the winter months. Read the op-ed in ROI here.

By Debra Coyle|2026-07-09T12:17:30-04:00February 14th, 2024|Highlights, Opinion Pieces|Comments Off

Legislators Push to End Raids to NJ Transit & Clean Energy Fund

For Immediate Release from Jersey Renews : June 21st, 2021 Contact: Janna Chernetz, Tri-State Transportation Campaign, 908-208-0083, janna@tstc.org Doug O’Malley, Environment NJ, 917-449-6812, domalley@environmentnewjersey.org David Pringle, Clean Water Action, 908-967-1672, dpringle1988@gmail.com Deb Coyle, NJ Work Environment Council, 609-707-1320, dcoyle@njwec.org Legislators Push to End Raids to NJ Transit & Clean Energy Fund Trenton, NJ — As state leaders finalize the budget in the next few days, a bipartisan, bicameral group of a dozen legislators have joined Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg’s call to end raids to the Clean Energy Fund and NJ Transit’s capital budget (Sen. Weinberg’s public statement can be viewed here). Tapping into the General Fund for a tiny (4%) slice of the $10+ billion surplus stemming from the increased state revenue and federal fund projections would stop the $442 million raid that labor, business, transportation, planning and environmental groups have long called for (a list of these unusual suspects released last month can be found here). Governor Murphy’s campaign promise to end these raids remains unfulfilled and advocates are asking if we can’t end these raids now, when the state is now flush and the future of NJ Transit fare revenue still so troubled, when will we decide to end these raids? Sponsors include [...]

By Debra Coyle|2021-06-21T17:12:43-04:00June 21st, 2021|Press Releases, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Testimony Given to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Whistleblower Protections

Testimony Given by Debra Coyle McFadden to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration Whistleblower Stakeholder Meeting on May 19, 2021 Thank you for the opportunity to testify. My name is Debra Coyle McFadden, and I am the Executive Director of the NJ Work Environment Council. We are a coalition of 70 labor, community, and environmental organizations, as well as many individuals advocating for safe, secure jobs and a health sustainable environment. The NJ Work Environment Council is also an affiliate of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health Network as well as the national coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters. Let me be direct. If workers are not truly protected when participating in safety or health activities, or reporting workplace hazards to their employer, they won’t do it. The consequence of this will be that more workers will die in workplace fatalities or become sick or injured on the jobs. The impact of not reporting health and safety hazards may also go well beyond the workplace. For example, if a refinery or chemical worker doesn’t feel protected from retaliation, they might not report a serious health and safety hazard that if reported and corrected could prevent a toxic catastrophe. [...]

By Debra Coyle|2021-05-31T08:00:37-04:00May 19th, 2021|Highlights, WEC in the News|Comments Off

WEC Year In Review 2020
Gallery
WEC Year In Review 2020

Highlights, WEC Reports

WEC Year In Review 2020

We are proud to share the impact of WEC’s work in 2020. We did this work together with our members which includes, labor, community organizations, environmental organizations, and individuals. Faced with a public health crisis, WEC went to work to educate and advocate for COVID protections for workers and our communities. The COVID crisis made it clear that worker health is public health. Even amid a pandemic, together with you, we made significant progress in our other areas of work from labor friendly climate policy to public need and healthy schools.

By Debra Coyle|2021-04-13T10:26:21-04:00April 13th, 2021|Highlights, WEC Reports|Comments Off

WEC Factsheet: Chemical Facilities Must Hold Public Meetings

Across the nation, more than 150 chemical incidents occur annually that endanger workers and communities. By law, effective March 15, 2021, 78 facilities in New Jersey that use extremely hazardous substances are required to hold a public meeting within 90 days of any incident that results in offsite deaths, injuries, evacuations, sheltering in place, property damage, or environmental damage. This national U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule covers facilities that use specified extremely hazardous substances in certain quantities, including many chemical plants, oil refineries, food processing operations, etc. This provision is part of the Risk Management Program (RMP) revised rule issued by EPA in 2017. President Trump withdrew most of the rule in 2019, but retained much of the public meeting requirement. The rule states: § 68.210 Availability of information to the public. (b) Public meetings. The owner or operator of a stationary source shall hold a public meeting to provide information required under § 68.42(b), no later than 90 days after any RMP reportable accident at the stationary source with any known offsite impact specified in § 68.42(a). Read WEC's factsheet on the EPA RMP rule and learn how community members can take action.

By Debra Coyle|2021-03-18T10:20:16-04:00March 15th, 2021|Highlights|Comments Off

Chemical Facilities Must Hold Public Meetings

Press Release For Immediate Release: March 15, 2021 Contact: Debra Coyle McFadden Cell: 609/707-1320 Email: dcoyle@njwec.org As of Today, Chemical Facilities Must Hold Public Meetings WEC applauds this new public meeting requirement and again urges the State to follow EPCRA public access requirements By law, effective March 15, 2021, many chemical facilities are required to hold a public meeting within 90 days of any incident that results in offsite deaths, injuries, evacuations, sheltering in place, property damage, or environmental damage. This U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule covers about 12,000 facilities across the nation that use specified extremely hazardous substances in certain quantities, including many oil refineries, chemical plants, paper mills, food processing operations, and water and sewage treatment plants, ect. This provision is part of the Risk Management Program (RMP) revised rule issued by EPA in 2017. President Trump withdrew most of the rule in 2019, but retained much of the public meeting requirement. “This is an opportunity for community members to ask facility managers about safety measures they are taking to safeguard the community after an offsite incident has occurred.” said Debra Coyle McFadden, Executive Director of NJ Work Environment Council. “For example, is management looking at safer chemical substitutions? Are they considering reducing storage quantities [...]

By Debra Coyle|2021-03-15T14:32:15-04:00March 15th, 2021|Highlights, Press Releases|Comments Off

Debra Coyle

About Debra Coyle