Environmental community pays the price of a bad endorsement

Gov. Chris Christie won numerous endorsements from the state’s environmental community when he ran against Jon Corzine in 2009. Jon Corzine, who was expected to be a friend of the environment, had turned out instead to be a failed green.

The endorsement did two things: It stripped any pretense left that Corzine was a progressive and, perhaps more importantly, it softened the conservative image of Christie. Christie won and, two-plus years into his term, he’s proven to be one of the most least environmentally friendly presidents in memory.

His latest move — a new rule that allows the state Department of Environment to “waive regulations on a case-by-case basis if: they are considered “unduly burdensome,” the exception has a “net environmental benefit,” the regulations conflict with other agencies’ rules, or there is a public emergency” — will make it easier for builders to build in sensitive areas or encroach on other green efforts.

NJ.com described the changes this way:

The waiver rule’s broad reach and vague language could overturn decades of land, water and air protections — putting strip malls in wetlands and condos in flood plains.

And with cloudy terms such as “unduly burdensome” and “net environmental benefit” left open to interpretation, the waiver rule creates enormous potential for corruption.

Christie and DEP chief Bob Martin say the legislation just streamlines procedure and cuts away red tape. The environment will continue to protected. But, as NJ.com points out,

In New Jersey, the nation’s Superfund leader, environmental regulations are no mere red tape. Every regulation fixes an environmental wrong. Protecting air, food and water must be an acceptable cost of doing business.

Environmental protections should be tough. When the rules can be ignored because they are inconvenient, what are we protecting?

So, green groups are suing, accusing the governor of exceeding his authority — something a court already took him to task for. Hopefully, the suit will succeed and the rule will be shelved. In the meantime, the Legislature should make it clear that the waiver rule violates the legislative intent of the protections it already has created.

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