TRENTON, N.J., Jan. 30, 2008
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The New Jersey State Museum will
have a new exhibit on global warming, thanks to a $500,000
pledge from one of New Jersey's largest corporations.
Ralph Izzo, chairman, president and CEO of Public Service
Enterprise Group (PSEG), joined Governor Jon S. Corzine and
Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells today to formally
announce a donation from PSEG to the Friends of the New Jersey
State Museum.
The gift is the largest private sector contribution to the
museum's capital campaign to date, and will be given in equal
installments over four years by the PSEG Foundation. It will
fund an exhibit designed to educate visitors about the impact
of climate change on New Jersey's coastline.
Governor Corzine and Secretary Wells praised PSEG for its
leadership, and cited its commitment to investing in New
Jersey's cities and cultural institutions as a shining example
of how public-private collaborative partnerships can result in
meaningful accomplishments.
"The State Museum is one of New Jersey's great treasures, a
place where natural history, archaeology and ethnology, fine
art, culture and the wonders of science converge to educate
visitors young and old alike," noted Governor Corzine. "The
extraordinary commitment of PSEG is a testament not only to
its generosity, but to our shared desire to leave the most
diverse, educational and exciting experience for Museum guests
for years to come."
"Climate change is a defining issue for this generation and
will be, even more so, for the next. We cannot afford to wait
to teach our children about it, and to begin taking action,"
Izzo said.
Izzo said PSEG has taken a number of steps to reduce its own
carbon footprint and has been encouraging its customers and
other businesses to do the same. He noted that PSEG is
investing in hybrid vehicles and biofuel, as well as energy
efficient wires and transformers. Its utility business, PSE&G,
has proposed to invest $100 million to help spur investment in
solar energy and begun a campaign to give 100,000 compact
fluorescent light bulbs to customers in communities across New
Jersey.
PSEG's contribution to the State Museum will support the
development of an exhibit called Rising Tide: Global Warming
and New Jersey's Changing Coastline. It will show that global
warming leads to rising sea level and demonstrate how that has
altered New Jersey's coastline.
The Governor expressed his gratitude for PSEG's support of the
exhibit as part of a larger effort of raising public education
and awareness about climate change.
"Overwhelming evidence has shown global warming poses a
serious threat, and if we continue on a course of inaction our
planet will continue to warm, water levels will continue to
rise," noted Governor Corzine. "And, as a state with 127 miles
of coastline, New Jersey could especially face dire,
irreversible consequences."
PSEG's donation is the latest gift to be announced as part of
an ambitious, ongoing effort to raise $13 million from the
private sector to fund the design and installation of exhibits
that are stimulating, educational and timely.
The New Jersey State Museum is approaching the completion of a
$15 million renovation funded by the State of New Jersey and
overseen by the Department of State. The renovation included
the installation of a new HVAC climate control system, as well
as improvements in electrical systems, ventilation, restroom
facilities and the general interior.
Secretary of State Wells thanked PSEG for its generous
contribution to the Museum's Capital Campaign. "We heartily
applaud PSEG for the funding of this timely exhibition, which
will also become part of the Museum's major new Natural
History Hall. Such support will assure that we offer the best
possible new and interactive exhibitions to our visitors --
whether individuals, families or school classes. The New
Jersey State Museum was the first state museum in the country
established with a clear educational mission, and we are proud
that this considerable legacy is as strong as ever."
"We are proud to help build what promises to be an important
exhibit on climate change -- one that encourages new ways of
thinking about our relationship to the environment -- and
proud to support the State Museum and the city of Trenton,"
Izzo said.
The announcement was part of a larger program at the State
Museum where students from Trenton examined fossils displays
from the Museum's collection, toured a fossil exhibition and
experienced a live program on the Jersey Coast -- all of which
concluded with a Q&A session with a panel of scientists.
Founded in 1895, the New Jersey State Museum's mission is to
collect, preserve and interpret the cultural and natural
history of New Jersey to visitors of all ages and diverse
backgrounds and to preserve in conjunction with Historic
Morven, Inc. the landmark property called Morven. To this end,
the Museum presents exhibitions, educational programs,
publications and other services that interpret its collections
in archaeology/ethnology, decorative arts, fine arts and
natural history. The Museum -- which is located only a half
block from the State Capitol in a 1964 building -- is
currently undergoing major renovations and upgrades. While the
Main Building is undergoing renovation, the Museum continues
to provide school programs in its 384-seat Auditorium and
145-seat Planetarium -- the largest in New Jersey. Exhibitions
are still offered in its galleries in the Auditorium and in
225 West State Street and through a traveling exhibition shown
at various state parks, museums, libraries, county colleges,
and tourism centers throughout the State. The Museum has
recently been reaccredited for ten years by the American
Association of Museums.
Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG) is a
publicly traded diversified energy company with annual
revenues of more than $12 billion, and three principal
subsidiaries: PSEG Power, PSEG Energy Holdings, and Public
Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G). PSEG has a long
tradition of caring for New Jersey's people and communities.
Each year, the company and its employees invest millions of
dollars and thousands of hours to improve the quality of life
in New Jersey. The company's culture dictates that service to
customers and community go hand-in-hand.
Source: Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG)
CONTACT: Jenn Kramer of PSEG,
+1-973-430-7734
Web site:
http://www.pseg.com/ |
