By David Pringle, Campaign Director, New Jersey Currents|online, Summer 2010

The Christie Administration and new legislative leadership of Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver recently completed their first 100 days in power and are completing their budget balancing battle. We have seen the good, the bad and the ugly come to the fore, and there is certainly more to come.

Governor Chris Christie and the Environment

When the NJ Environmental Federation endorsed Chris Christie for Governor last year, we secured significant commitments on issues of greatest concern to our members and coalition partners across the state.

NJEF did it with a tremendous amount of deliberation; our eyes wide open knowing we would not realize all commitments in the first 100 days or frankly ever - in part because of the financial challenges that New Jersey currently faces. Even in the best of circumstances, no governor can or will do right by the environment 100 percent of the time. For us, the test is whether a good faith effort is being made to fulfill as much of the commitments as possible as quickly as possible.

To date, we have disagreed with the Christie Administration's decision to not block a devastating development in Millville. NJEF has also disagreed with the cuts to energy programs, a major new power line through the heart of the Highlands, the "time of decision" bill, and the potential path of the regulatory "relief" measures. So far, the administration has insisted, which we appreciate, that neither the intention nor result of these measures will weaken environmental protections. However, we know there are forces out there, including some close to the administration, working very hard to convince or even trick the administration into doing exactly that - weaken protections.

Only time and our collective advocacy efforts will determine the fate of these regulatory relief measures - whether they move at all, maintain or weaken or even strengthen protections. Since elected, the governor has on multiple occasions publicly reaffirmed his environmental commitments to NJEF and the state including just saying:

No to:

1. Off-shore drilling
2. LNG facilities of any kind
3. The Delaware River Deepening, and
4. The Linden coal plant based on environmental justice and other concerns, AND

Yes to:

1. Aggressive NJ-based development, both production and manufacturing, of clean renewables like wind [on and off shore] and solar,
2. Re-evaluating hundreds of miles of candidate Category 1 [c1] and other waters not previously approved to be upgraded to c1,
3. Additional pollution reductions including requiring clean diesel equipment at publicly funded construction sites,
4. Stopping the poisoning of Barnegat Bay from fertilizer and other pollutants,
5. Giving cumulative impact greater weight in DEP decision-making, and
6. Fixing cooling systems at both the Oyster Creek and Salem nuclear plants.

The Christie administration has also innovatively used various tools at its disposal at the state, regional and federal level to go after Exelon for radioactive tritium leaks at Oyster Creek, New York City garbage trucks on NJ streets, and a Pennsylvania coal plant.

The State Legislature and the Environment

In January, the Democratic-controlled "lame duck" legislature wrapped up an already very disappointing 2 year session with a double whammy. They passed 2 major anti-environmental bills at the last minute. One would severely delay and weaken one of Governor Corzine's few significant environmental achievements - updating the state's 2 decade old wastewater rules (6 other attempted updates over 20 years failed!). The other would extend the 2008 Permit Extension Act further undermining local decision-making and modern, science-based environmental and public health and safety protections.

After promising to support both and then neither, Governor Corzine in the end signed the permit extension bill, but vetoed the wastewater bill! Kudos to Assembly Environment Chair McKeon and newly appointed EPA Region II Administrator Judith Enck for working hard to weaken both bills. Not to be deterred, the new legislature started to push the wastewater bill again in February. McKeon and Enck teamed up with the new NJ Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Commissioner Bob Martin to kill the bill.

Meanwhile, Assemblyman John Burzicelli, chair of the recently re-created Regulatory Oversight Committee, appears intent on weakening environmental protections despite assertions to the contrary. The bills he is pushing make it harder for New Jersey to go beyond weak federal standards, NJDEP to provide regulatory guidance without going through burdensome rule-making, and more.

There is some good news on the legislative front. The new Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono, one of the few environmental champs in the Legislature, has been critical of Burzicelli's efforts. McKeon joined by Assemblyman Chivukula (chair of the Assembly Utilities Committee) and Senator Bob Smith (chair of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee) are working together on a package of solar, wind and energy efficiency bills, as well as a measure to stop the pollution runoff entering Barnegat Bay.

Unfortunately, even these relatively modest efforts are far from a done deal, especially given the state's budget deficit and economic downturn. Even if the "millionaire's tax" is restored, as in our view it should be, it would only generate $650 million to $1 billion of the $10 billion budget shortfall, 1/3 of the state budget. It is not enough to reinstate the clean energy funds, school aid, and safety net programs for seniors.

Yet, there is much the state can do that will clean up the environment, create green jobs for an emerging economy, and save taxpayer dollars. The state house should work to attract green businesses, as well as have the power to "just say no" to backward thinking projects - such as new coal plants, sprawling McMansions, and garbage incinerator expansions. Regrettably, much needed environmental advances aren't even on the table while major attacks are.

Take Action!

In the next couple of weeks, some bills are being considered by legislators in Trenton that aim to secure a stronger and greener economy and unfortunately some that, intended or not, would weaken environmental and public health protections. On Monday, over 20 NJ Environmental Federation staff attended a lobby day at the Statehouse - meeting with legislators on these issues. It's important that they hear from you!  Contact your legislators today!

We need your help!

NJEF is proud of its 28 year record of success. It is due in large part to you, an NJEF member, and our ability to energize the public through our grassroots organizing and door to door canvassing.

NJEF remains ever focused on making democracy work for a healthy environment, as well as creating opportunities for good green jobs in communities and for the residents of this great state. There are many challenges ahead. This is the time to move forward at the state house. You can help by supporting our work and taking action on these important issues...