Veto this: Deadline looms on Permit Extension Act

The clock is ticking on legislation that grants builders broad exceptions to state planning rules — a bill that could have dire consequences for the environment, while creating the illusion of generating jobs and boosting the economy.

Consider this comment from the state builder’s association in The Star-Ledger:

Legislators from both political parties supported the measure because it would provide sorely needed jobs in a struggling economy, noted Amy Whilldin, director of communications for the New Jersey Builders Association.

“These projects were largely stalled because of the economic downturn. Allowing the time period to be extended, for a reasonable period of time, will stimulate growth,” she said.

Stimulate growth? By extending the permits of projects approved in the past, projects that may have stalled for reasons other than the economy, all the bill will do is give builders a way around environmental restrictions they opposed when they were passed.

Gov. Jon Corzine has until Sept. 15 to make a decision on the legislation, called “Permit Extension Act,” which the Ledger describes as “giv(ing) developers a two-year extension to complete any stalled building projects.”

There are aspects of the bill that make sense — provisions tied to transit hubs and redevelopment projects — though it is important that development projects be held to the highest environmental standards, and that includes requiring those that expired to meet recently enacted environmental laws.

But the governor has a conditional veto he can use to force a rewrite of the legislation to make it more consistent with environmental goals, as Jeff Tittel of the New Jersey Sierra Club and Dave Pringle of the New Jersey Environmental Federation told the Ledger. The two organizations

want the governor to “conditionally veto” various parts of the bill, including what they call the “Dracula” provision. That provision would allow projects with permits that expired after Jan. 1, 2007, to be “brought back to life” and enjoy the two-year extension, they said.

“In the midst of presidential politics, Governor Corzine has to govern New Jersey, including deciding the fate of the Permit Extension Act,” said Pringle, the federation’s campaign director. “Within two weeks, he will decide whether or not to underline core environmental and public health protections, good planning, and the constitution.”

Tittel, the state Sierra Club’s director, said the governor also could amend the act to protect local planning decisions made in communities like Bernardsville, Newark and Jersey City to promote growth near transportation hubs, protect environmentally-sensitive areas and halt sprawl.

So, what’s the decision Gov. Corzine?

Author: hankkalet

Hank Kalet is a poet and freelance journalist. He is the economic needs reporter for NJ Spotlight, teaches journalism at Rutgers University and writing at Middlesex County College and Brookdale Community College. He writes a semi-monthly column for the Progressive Populist. He is a lifelong fan of the New York Mets and New York Knicks, drinks too much coffee and attends as many Bruce Springsteen concerts as his meager finances will allow. He lives in South Brunswick with his wife Annie. View all posts by hankkalet