Corzine Administration News
No camping, swimming cuts in state parks, 06/14/08, by Michael Symons. Originally published by the GANNETT STATE BUREAU
TRENTON — Camping and swimming services at all state parks and forests will be provided without change or interruption in the coming year, under a plan to shift $9 million from a beach replenishment fund to pay for parks operation.
The legislation was proposed Thursday and is part of a package of bills putting into effect portions of the upcoming state budget.
David Pringle, campaign director for the New Jersey Environmental Federation, said the plan is good news. But he wants to see what that future will bring.
"It's a stopgap, but it's an appropriate one," Pringle said. "Some of the things they're looking at for our state parks are appropriate, and some are not. There are leases, and there are leases. If it's for a little food stand, that's one thing. If you're going to commercialize and corporatize our state parks, that's another."
Choi critiques aspects of Corzine's budget, 06/11/08. By Chris Gaetano. Published in the Sentinel.
EDISON - Mayor Jun Choi, flanked by representatives of the Better Choices Budget Campaign, expressed his concerns over the impacts Gov. Jon Corzine's budget proposals may have on the township.
The mayor spoke at the Edison Senior Citizens Center on June 5.
The governor's most recent budget, which drastically cuts spending for many programs in the interest of controlling state debt, has drawn a great deal of controversy since specifics of the spending plan were made known several months ago. Some aspects of the plan, such as scrapping the state Department of Agriculture, have already been removed. Critics hope that, as the Legislature debates the proposal's finer points, more concessions can be won.
Amy Goldsmith, state director for the New Jersey Environmental Federation, dovetailed on this point, saying that increasing investment in the environment can lower health costs overall, noting that many afflictions such as asthma and certain types of cancers can sometimes be the product of local pollution.
She also noted that the governor is proposing to close nine state parks, which she said hold important recreational uses for people who may not have a lot of money.
"We can't count on private industry and private polluters to police themselves," said Goldsmith, stressing the need for government oversight on environmental issues.
Agencies could feel impact of state cuts, by Clare Marie Celano, 06/09/08. Published in the News Transcript.
FREEHOLD- Better Choices for New Jersey, a coalition of at least 30 organizations and groups, has been formed to address what the coalition calls the "dangerous and short-sighted budget" that has been proposed by Gov. Jon S. Corzine.
Peggy Sturmfels, the New Jersey Environmental Federation's program director, said the governor's proposed state budget "removes the underpinnings of environmental safety while threatening the Department of Environmental Protection by eliminating jobs which will affect environmental programs that protect drinking water, air quality and open space; close nine state parks and portions of three others, cut the Department of Environmental Protection's wildlife budget, reducing the state's ability to care for wildlife species, and it will also hurt the fishing industry.
"Instead of short-sighted budget cuts that threaten services and growth, you must pass long-term budget solutions that help build a stronger economy, while protecting the environment and our families," Sturmfels said.
Her suggestions are to "set pollution permit fees to better reflect the true cost of environmental economic and health damage ($100 billon over 50 years); establish an annual surcharge on the heaviest, least fuel efficient sport utility vehicles, cars and light trucks, raising $50 million per year.
"This is accomplished," she said, "by assessing $100 per year on the most wasteful 10 percent of the five million New Jersey vehicles on the road."
NJ Governor Corzine's Energy Plan Graded a "D". 04/24/08. Published by Sustainable Business News
New Jersey Governor Corzine released a draft of his 15-year Energy Master Plan last week, and a coalition of environmentalists and clean energy advocates faulted the plan for lacking in vision and failing to realize New Jersey's full clean energy potential.
"New Jersey is at a historic crossroads," said Dave Pringle of the NJ Environmental Federation. "Governor Corzine is missing the opportunity to truly go green, drive the 21st century economy, and rid ourselves of the 19th and 20th century technologies that saddle the state with so many environmental, public health and security problems. The question is not coal versus nuclear to keep the lights on, but rather those antiquated, dangerous technologies versus cutting edge clean renewable and efficient solutions.
With the right plan from the Governor, they argue, the state could: (1) Promote highly efficient homes, buildings, and appliances and cut energy demand 10% below today's levels. The Governor's goal will stabilize demand at current levels. (2) Generate 1750 megawatts (MW) of clean electricity by harnessing New Jersey's offshore winds--enough to power at least 450,000 New Jersey homes per year. Their plan would generate 75% more wind energy than the Governor's proposal. (3) Bring solar panels to tens of thousands of rooftops within the decade. (4) Eliminate the need to expand fossil fuel or nuclear power plants.
Corzine's hits and misses on environmental issues . By Claire Heininger, 4/13/08.
Published by Star Ledger.
In the shadow of Giants Stadium last July, Gov. Jon Corzine stood beside Al Gore, basking in the vice president-turned-environmental crusader's praise of New Jersey's tough new law on global warming.
At the front of a Rutgers Law School classroom last weekend [NJEF’s Conference], Corzine stood at a lectern alone, fielding tough questions from local environmentalists who pressed him for greener answers on issues from nuclear power to the closure of state parks.
The two scenes show an emerging divide on Corzine's environmental standing, more than halfway through his term in office.
"Even all the accomplishments are not yet implemented or have significant loopholes," said David Pringle, campaign director for the New Jersey Environmental Federation. "We keep hearing that things are just around the corner. But at some point -- and we're certainly at that point -- at the rate we're going around that corner it's going to be gone before we get there."
While such policy-heavy issues prompted unease, environmentalists are livid over a proposal to close nine state parks and reduce services at three others this summer to help balance the budget.
Mayor attacks state aid cuts By Bill Duhart, 03/27/08. Published by Courier Post
MOUNT LAUREL — Mayor Jim Maley of Collingswood used a "Wizard of Oz" metaphor to drive home a point that budget cuts in smaller municipalities, designed to encourage them to consolidate services, were missing the mark.
"The budget proposal drops a house on us," said Maley, who urged state Assembly Budget Committee members at the hearing Wednesday to restore $190 million in municipal aid cuts in the proposed budget. "They intended to kill a witch, but got nowhere close to it."
Corzine said this week he thought new local taxes "makes sense" but was hesitant to impose them during the current economic downturn.
Jane Nogaki, vice chairman of the New Jersey Environmental Federation, also complained about proposed cuts to the state Department of Environmental Protection.
"Why is the registration fee for a Hummer the same as for a Prius?" Nogaki asked. "It's a heavier car, pollutes more and takes a heavier toll on the roads. We have to start making polluters pay for the cost of pollution. This could be a way to pay for budget cuts in DEP."
Permit task force worries activists . By Jim Wright, 03/25/08. Published by the Record.
New Jersey's environmental permitting programs will undergo a comprehensive review — to the chagrin of the state's conservation community and applause from a leading home builder.
State Environmental Protection Commissioner Lisa Jackson issued an administrative order Monday that establishes a 19-member task force to review how her agency issues permits. It plans to announce its recommendations within 120 days.
"This is about trying to find a way have a discussion about how to incentivize the growth we want to see in the places we want to see it," Jackson said. "It's also a discussion about how we do our jobs here at the DEP, about how permitting gets done."
Environmentalists were leery.
David Pringle of the New Jersey Environmental Federation said the creation of the new task force "plays into the falsehood that environmental regulation is responsible, even partly, for the economic downturn."
Corzine insists effort to add housing won't harm environmental laws By Tom Hester, 03/26/08. Published by Star-Ledger
Gov. Jon Corzine said yesterday he will not weaken environmental regulations in his attempt to create 100,000 new and refurbished affordable houses and apartments.
Leaders of four environmental organizations wrote Corzine, asking him to head off any attempt to soften state Department of Environmental Protection water quality and open space regulations.
"We believe that these reports use the state's housing needs as a smoke screen to hide behind while gutting 30 years of environmental law and regulation that is vital to continued public health and economic stability in New Jersey," the activists wrote. "Further, these reports mark the first time in history that one agency of government -- the DCA -- wants to attack and destroy another agency of government within the same administration -- the DEP -- raising the possibility of a government crisis."
The letter was sent by Jeff Tittel, New Jersey Sierra Club direc tor; Eric Stiles, New Jersey Audu bon Society vice president; Dave Pringle, New Jersey Environmental Federation campaign director, and Mike Pisauro, New Jersey Environmental Lobby lobbyist.
State parks, toxic cleanups could lose funding. By Alex Nussbaum and Hugh Morley. Published by The Record
State parks could go dark, polluters could get more power to police their own cleanups and builders could wait even longer for permits. The budget cuts proposed by Governor Corzine could have an especially severe impact on programs dealing with the environment, agriculture and natural resources, some predicted Tuesday after the fiscal plan was unveiled. Activists painted a grim picture of what they said would result: a dirtier, more toxic Garden State. "The unfortunate fact is that there are bad polluters out there that will be irresponsible if the environmental cop is not on the beat," said David Pringle, a lobbyist for the New Jersey Environmental Federation. Environment is victim of N.J. financial debacle . By Joseph Ax, 03/09/08. Published by The Record.
Governor Corzine told environmentalists Saturday he supports their efforts but warned that environmental programs must be weighed in the context of the state's dire financial situation. The governor's remarks were delivered during the New Jersey Conservation Foundation's annual Land Conservation Rally in New Brunswick. Corzine's proposed $33.3 billion budget includes a 13 percent cut in spending for the Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees the state's parks, forests and wildlife programs. It also calls for the elimination of the Department of Agriculture, although many of its services would be shifted to other departments. But not everyone was convinced that his reductions represent good policy. In a joint statement, representatives from the New Jersey Sierra Club, the New Jersey Audubon Society, the New Jersey Environmental Lobby and the New Jersey Environmental Federation called on Corzine to "practice what he preaches."
