New Jersey Resources Announces $50,000 Donation to Ducks Unlimited to Help Protect and Enhance Cattus Island in Ocean County, NJ

Key Terms

501(c)(3) regulatory

A 501(c)(3) is a U.S. federal tax designation for organizations organized and operated for charitable, educational, religious, scientific or literary purposes, which exempts them from federal income tax and generally makes donations to them tax-deductible. Investors pay attention because the designation shapes how the organization raises money, what activities it can legally pursue (for example, limits on political lobbying), and how transparent and financially stable it must be—factors that affect risk, reputation, and potential partnerships.

therms technical

A therm is a standard unit of heat energy equal to 100,000 British thermal units (BTU), roughly 29.3 kilowatt-hours. It’s commonly used to measure natural gas volume and billing, so changes in price or consumption per therm directly affect utility revenues, fuel costs and profit margins; think of it like a “gallon” for gas energy that investors use to compare costs and earnings across companies.

metric tons technical

A metric ton (also spelled tonne) is a unit of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms, roughly the weight of a small car. Investors see it used to measure quantities of bulk goods like oil, grain, metals or carbon credits; knowing how many metric tons are involved helps translate physical volumes into revenue, inventory levels, shipping costs and supply-demand risk—think of it as the standard “weight” label that turns cargo into dollars.

megawatts technical

A megawatt is a measure of electrical power equal to one million watts, describing how much electricity a plant or device can generate or use at a single moment. Investors use megawatts to compare the size and earning potential of energy projects—larger capacity usually means more electricity to sell—much like comparing the horsepower of engines to judge how much work they can do. Knowing megawatts helps assess scale, revenue potential, and grid impact of energy assets.

carbon reduction system technical

A carbon reduction system is a set of equipment, processes and practices designed to lower the amount of carbon dioxide and similar greenhouse gases a business puts into the air. Think of it like sealing leaks and upgrading heating in a house to use less fuel: it can include cleaner technology, energy efficiency measures, monitoring software and changes in operations. Investors care because these systems can reduce long-term costs, limit regulatory or reputational risks, and improve access to customers and markets that favor lower-emission businesses.

WALL, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- New Jersey Resources (NYSE: NJR), the parent company of New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG), today announced a $50,000 donation from its Coastal Climate Initiative (CCI) to Ducks Unlimited, a leader in wetlands conservation, to help protect and enhance coastal habitats on Cattus Island located in Ocean County, New Jersey. CCI supports projects and programs designed to improve the resilience of ecosystems and impacts from climate change, as well strengthen community engagement and environmental education.

Duck Unlimited is a world leading 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to restoration and conservation of wetlands and associated habitats. The funding will help support the planning, engineering design, surveying and permitting for four project areas within Cattus Island covering about 35 acres of wetlands restoration. With the designs and permits, Ducks Unlimited and its partners will coordinate with state and local dredging efforts to restore tidal marshes, mitigate erosion, foster resilient habitats and help protect the surrounding communities.

"Giving back and investing in the communities we serve is a core value of our company,” said Steve Westhoven, President and CEO of New Jersey Resources. “Through our Coastal Climate Initiative, we are helping improve resiliency, protect local habitats, enhance the environment and strengthen the coastal communities where we live and work. Together, with organizations like Ducks Unlimited, we are making a difference for us all for the long term.”

Cattus Island represents northern Barnegat Bay's largest contiguous salt marsh habitat complex and serves as a vital habitat for diverse, local wildlife. The 846-acre property, which operates as a county park, provides storm protection and resilience for the greater Toms River area, attracts 150,000 visitors annually and houses the Cooper Environmental Center that has provided environmental education and volunteer programs since 1980.

“The Cattus Island project exemplifies the power of partnership, uniting conservation organizations, local leaders, and the community to restore vital salt marshes that provide habitat for wildlife and strengthen coastal resilience for generations to come,” said Jim Feaga, Regional Biologist at Ducks Unlimited.

Today’s announcement builds on NJR’s long history of philanthropic support – both financial and volunteerism – to local communities and nonprofits in the areas in which it operates. To date, NJR has committed nearly 70% of its $2 million pledge over five years to CCI from its charitable foundations.

NJR Releases 2025 Corporate Sustainability Report

Today’s announcement was made in conjunction with the release of NJR’s 17^th annual Corporate Sustainability Report, which details the company’s commitment to sustainability and the progress made in fiscal year 2025 in such areas as: emissions reduction and environmental stewardship programs; volunteerism, community engagement and philanthropic impact; and corporate governance and risk management among others.

Highlights include:

• Provided more than 4,200 hours of volunteer service, and its charitable foundations contributed nearly $2 million in direct funding to help support the important work of over 2,000 local nonprofit and community organizations.
• Connected nearly 49,000 public utility customers to more than $16.5 million in energy assistance.
• Invested a record $98 million — the highest annual investment in energy efficiency in the company’s history – which will save participating customers 66.4 million therms over the lifetime of the measures they took and eliminate over 351,400 metric tons of carbon emissions.
• Installed Carbon Reform’s Carbon Reduction System at NJNG’s Lakewood Operations Center to cut emissions, increase overall efficiency and reduce energy costs by up to 60% in the building.
• Achieved 0.06 leaks per mile, driven by NJNG’s proactive pipeline upgrades and commitment to eliminating leak-prone materials.
• Delivered the company’s highest annual installed capacity since the inception of NJR Clean Energy Ventures, with more than 93 megawatts of solar across 11 projects.
• Named one of the Easiest Utilities to Do Business With for the seventh consecutive year and a Most Trusted Utility Brand for the third year in a row in the Cogent Syndicated 2025 Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement: Residential study conducted by Escalent.
• Named a Ruud® Top-20 Pro Partner for the ninth consecutive year and recognized for the company’s continued commitment to supporting DAV (Disabled American Veterans).

To read the full sustainability report, please visit our website: www.njrsustainability.com.

About New Jersey Resources:

New Jersey Resources (NYSE: NJR) is a Fortune 1000 company that, through its subsidiaries, provides safe and reliable natural gas and clean energy services, including transportation, distribution, asset management and home services. NJR is composed of five primary businesses:

• New Jersey Natural Gas, NJR’s principal subsidiary, operates and maintains natural gas transportation and distribution infrastructure to serve customers in New Jersey’s Monmouth, Ocean, Morris, Middlesex, Sussex and Burlington counties.
• Clean Energy Ventures invests in, owns and operates solar projects, providing customers with low-carbon solutions.
• Energy Services manages a diversified portfolio of natural gas transportation and storage assets and provides physical natural gas services and customized energy solutions to its customers across North America.
• Storage and Transportation serves customers from local distributors and producers to electric generators and wholesale marketers through its ownership of Leaf River and the Adelphia Gateway Pipeline, as well as our 50% equity ownership in the Steckman Ridge natural gas storage facility.
• Home Services provides service contracts as well as heating, central air conditioning, water heaters, standby generators, solar and other indoor and outdoor comfort products to residential homes throughout New Jersey.

NJR and its over 1,300 employees are committed to helping customers save energy and money by promoting conservation and encouraging efficiency through Conserve to Preserve® and initiatives such as SAVEGREEN®.

For more information about NJR:
www.njresources.com.
Follow us on X.com (Twitter) @NJNaturalGas.
“Like” us on facebook.com/NewJerseyNaturalGas.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260121253304/en/

Media Contact:

Mike Kinney

732-938-1031

mkinney@njresources.com

Investor Contact:

Adam Prior

732-938-1145

aprior@njresources.com

Source: New Jersey Resources