NJ not so green these days

New Jersey had been one of the greener states. But with the economy mired in recession, the state’s legislators have retreated from their strong defense of environmental planning and rules.

The result is a somewhat less-than-stellar report card from Environment New Jersey, a green advocacy group. From the Associated Press:

A new report gives New Jersey lawmakers poor marks as stewards of the environment.

Environment New Jersey’s biannual report shows the average state legislator’s score dipped to 55 percent, a drop of 20 percent from the prior report.

The group released scorecards today for the state Senate and Assembly, ranking eight environmental votes.

Four lawmakers — Sens. Bob Smith and Shirley Turner and Assembly members Linda Greenstein and Peter Barnes — achieved perfect scores. Four others — Assembly members Alison McHose, Gary Chiusano, Jay Webber and now-retired Rick Merkt — scored zeros.

Environment New Jersey ranked votes on solar energy, development and energy savings bills.

More to come on this when I get a copy of the report card.

• Send me an e-mail.
• Read poetry at The Subterranean.
• Suburban Pastoral, a chapbook by Hank Kalet, available here.

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