TRENTON — A state environmental advocacy group has given Gov. Chris Christie’s environmental record a C-. Environment New Jersey Executive Director Dena Mottola Jaborska called the governor’s environmental record “mixed” but said he has time to improve it. “With so many key environmental decisions pending, his score could quickly rise or fall,” said Mottola Jaborska in a prepared statement....
Gov. Chris Christie received a C- for his environmental work from an advocacy group.TRENTON — A state environmental advocacy group has given Gov. Chris Christie’s environmental record a C-.
Environment New Jersey Executive Director Dena Mottola Jaborska called the governor’s environmental record “mixed” but said he has time to improve it.
“With so many key environmental decisions pending, his score could quickly rise or fall,” said Mottola Jaborska in a prepared statement. “The coming months will say a lot about how bad – or good – Governor Christie will be on the environment.”
Environment New Jersey lauded Christie for championing the development of off-shore wind power, siding against a coal-fired power plant in Linden, signing bills to reduce fertilizer run off into Barnegat Bay and opposing natural gas ports off the coast.
But they criticized his decision to kill the new rail tunnel under the Hudson, cut NJ Transit subsidies and service, nominating several people who are “anti-Highlands Water Planning and Protection Act” to the Highlands Council. They also took him to task for expressing skepticism that global warming is caused by humans.
The group said several important decisions remain, including whether the governor will restore the funds to clean energy programs; what his proposed Energy Master Plan will look like; and whether he will oppose a recently-passed bill that would encourage the building of some natural gas power plants with state subsidies.
"Well, they got the positives right and, unfortunately, exaggerate what they view as the negatives," said Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak. "What the administration seeks and makes no apologies for is an appropriate balance between protecting our unique New Jersey environment and natural resources while taming government over-regulation, which stifles business and jobs growth. It appears the group defaults to a negative view because this administration seeks such a balance."
Previous coverage:
• Rutgers scientists invite Gov. Christie to global warming forum
• N.J. environmental group backs Christie endorsement despite his questions on global warming cause
• Gov. Christie says he's skeptical that global warming is caused by humans