Green Grifters – Part Two: COVID’s Greedy Green Ghouls
Consider This As The “Giving Tuesday” Funding Requests Fill Your Email
COVID Scams Provided A $3.4 Million Windfall
Take A Look At The “Filthy 14”
[Update: 12/8/22 – We just learned of another angle on the COVID Green Grift – American Rescue Plan (remember that?)
DEP just announced that the Pinelands Preservation Alliance got $581,500 of that money.
DEP is all carrot and no regulatory stick. Pretty soon they’ll be just like a Foundation. And this is all federal pass through money, with DEP taking their “administrative cost” share off the top to pay staff salaries.
These projects invariably fail and there’s never any accountability. They all just move on to the next funding cycle and next failed project. The real polluters and developers love that because they avoid any opposition by environmental groups and DEP staffers, who work on these failed projects. Absurd. Look at a typical example – this is a carbon sequestration project in Hopewell, NJ. Managed by Mike Catania’s Conservation Resources, Inc. I called it part of his “Green Ponzi scheme”:
This kind of money buys DEP loyalty and silences criticism. No wonder PPA supported DEP’s insane logging plan. Feel rescued yet? ~~~ end update.]
Over 35,000 NJ residents died from COVID. Millions more got sick, or had family and friends that got sick.
On top of this carnage was economic devastation: many people lacked healthcare or paid huge co-pays and deductibles.
Many were financially hurt or destroyed: lost income, lost jobs, lost saving and pensions, lost business, bankruptcy, and other financial wipeouts.
Thousands of small businesses shut down or suffered serious economic losses.
The pathetic government response and financial support – particularly the federal PPP “forgivable loans” (grants) – was not only a very small part of the total economic damage, but the money was not accessible to all and was gobbled up by well connected large corporate institutions.
So many hard hit and devastated working class and poor people and small businesses were shut out completely. Most went to the wealthiest 20% and did little to protect jobs.
But NJ’s Green Grifters – expert at milking government funding – made out well. COVID was a windfall for them.
They received over $3.4 million in COVID PPP “forgivable loans” – that means grants.
Environmental group’s “business model”, e.g. their funding, cash flow, and sources of revenues are nothing at all like a small business, family, or workers salary.
Environmental groups don’t have cash flow and don’t depend on cash flow (with few exceptions and those revenues are not a significant part of the revenues groups that generate cash flow depend on).
Their “business model” and employee compensation don’t depend sales or customers like a restaurant or other small business does.
Environmental groups funds are primarily provided by government, corporate, and Foundation grants. Those funds are guaranteed by contract, locked in, deposited in a bank account, and funds don’t vary when the economy collapses under an emergency COVID.
Environmental groups enjoy multi-million dollar endowments that they can tap into in an emergency.
Environmental groups have thousands of very wealthy corporate and individual donors as members and contributors that can write checks in an emergency.
This guaranteed revenue stream provides the overwhelming majority of their funding.
None of that revenue was impacted by COVID.
No staff were laid off due to COVID. No staff suffered any pay cuts to their already high salaries (averaging $68,000) and benefits as a result of COVID
They had no legitimate reason to seek COVID PPP loans – pure ethics free greed drove that.
(I don’t have their COVID years budget data, but I’d bet that their budgets didn’t do down and likely went up. Meaning they pocketed the money.)
While others far more in need suffered and got no government financial support, the Green Grifters made out like the bandits they are. They take care of themselves and screw everyone else – that’s how they roll. It’s always about what’s in it for them, consequences be damned.
They’re a pack of grifters: NJ Audubon leads the pack. NJCF #2, ALS #3, PPA, #4.
Total:$3,404,741
According to federal data, here are the Filthy 14:
1. NJ Audubon – $816,100.00
New Jersey Audubon Society is a non-profit organization located at 9 Hardscrabble Rd in Bernardsville, New Jersey that received a Coronavirus-related PPP loan from the SBA of $816,100.00 in April, 2020.
https://www.federalpay.org/paycheck-protection-program/new-jersey-audubon-society-bernardsville-nj
2. NJ Conservation Foundation – $593,100.00
New Jersey Conservation Foundation is a non-profit organization located at 179 Longview Rd in Far Hills, New Jersey that received a Coronavirus-related PPP loan from the SBA of $593,100.00in April, 2020.
3. American Littoral Society – $510,182
There are 2 PPP loans for a total of $510,182 in our database for businesses with the name “American Littoral Society Inc” in Highlands,
https://www.federalpay.org/paycheck-protection-program/american-littoral-society-inc-highlands-nj
4. Pinelands Preservation Alliance – $393,595
There are 2 PPP loans for a total of $393,595 in our database for businesses with the name “Pinelands Preservation Alliance”
5. Raritan Baykeeper – $161,000 – via 2 loans, different names
https://www.federalpay.org/paycheck-protection-program/raritan-baykeeper-inc-hazlet-nj
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6. Monmouth Conservation Foundation – $159,945
There are 2 PPP loans for a total of $159,945 in our database for businesses with the name “Monmouth Conservation Foundation” in Middletown, NJ.
7. Hunterdon land Trust – $152,620
There are 2 PPP loans for a total of $152,620 in our database for businesses with the name “Hunterdon Land Trust” in Flemington, NJ. T
https://www.federalpay.org/paycheck-protection-program/hunterdon-land-trust-flemington-nj
8. Conserve Wildlife – $150,000.00
Conserve Wildlife Foundation Of New Jers is a non-profit organization located at 608 Cypress Lane in East Brunswick, New Jersey that received a Coronavirus-related PPP loan from the SBA of $150,000.00 in May, 2020.
9. D&R Greenway – $144,200.00
D&R Greenway Land Trust In is a non-profit organization located at 1 Preservation Pl in Princeton, New Jersey that received a Coronavirus-related PPP loan from the SBA of $144,200.00 in April, 2020
https://www.federalpay.org/paycheck-protection-program/dr-greenway-land-trust-in-princeton-nj
10. Work Environment Council – $101,460.00 – $97.5 K ave. salary
Work Environment Council Of New Jersey, Inc is a non-profit organization located at 172 West State St 2nd Floor in Trenton, New Jersey that received a Coronavirus-related PPP loan from the SBA of $101,460.00 in April, 2020.
11. Clean Ocean Action – $94,528.00
Clean Ocean Action is a non-profit organization located at 49 Avenel Blvd in Long Branch, New Jersey that received a Coronavirus-related PPP loan from the SBA of $94,528.00 in May, 202
https://www.federalpay.org/paycheck-protection-program/clean-ocean-action-long-branch-nj
12. Highlands Coalition – $66,065.0
New Jersey Highlands Coalition is a non-profit organization located at 508 Main Street in Boonton, New Jersey that received a Coronavirus-related PPP loan from the SBA of $66,065.00in April, 2020
https://www.federalpay.org/paycheck-protec
13. Harding land Trust – $34,592
There are 2 PPP loans for a total of $34,592 in our database for businesses with the name “Harding Land Trust Inc” in Morristown, NJ.
https://www.federalpay.org/paycheck-protection-program/harding-land-trust-inc-morristown-nj
14. South Jersey Land and Water Trust – $27,300.00
South Jersey Land & Water Trust is a non-profit organization located at 21 Main St in Swedesboro, New Jersey that received a Coronavirus-related PPP loan from the SBA of $27,300.00 in May, 2020.
https://www.federalpay.org/paycheck-protection-program/south-jersey-land-water-trust-swedesboro-nj