Enviro report card gives Christie a D
Christie got praise for opposing new coal-fired power plants, but criticism for approving new power lines that would import dirty power, the group said. The governer has failed at coming up with effective ways to rescue Barnegat Bay, is weakening stream buffer protections with exemptions and supports weak natural gas drilling rules in the basin, the group said.
The New Jersey Environmental Federation has issued an environmental report card for the NJ Guv, and Christie gets a D.
"We're grading the Governor because it's time for him to begin living up to his promises and get serious about protecting our water, air, and health," the group said.
The federation looked at 39 issues and gave the governor "poor" or "failing" marks on 28 of them.
It said too many environmental professionals at the Department of Environmental Protection have been replaced with industry reps. Christie got praise for opposing new coal-fired power plants, but criticism for approving new power lines that would import dirty power, the group said. The governer has failed at coming up with effective ways to rescue Barnegat Bay, is weakening stream buffer protections with exemptions and supports weak natural gas drilling rules in the basin, the group said.
Normally, other enviro groups would pile on.
But this time, the Sierra Club is dissing the Federation, noting that the federation, unlike other environmental groups, originallly endorsed Christie.
"When NJEF endorsed Christie they took a leap of faith right of the cliff," Sierra's director, Jeff Tittel, said at the time.
Now, he says, "We are glad the Federation has finally been willing to publically criticize the Governor with the release of their score card today. However it's long overdue, in fact two years overdue."
"What grade should the Federation give themselves in standing up to Christie and standing up to protect the environment?" he said.
"From the Governor's first day in office with Executive Order (EO) 1, Christie started to dismantle environmental protections. ... The Sierra Club identified 50 environmental attacks in Christie's first 100 days. Where was the Federation?"
"Even now giving the Governor a D when he is trying to dismantle every core environmental program in the state shows the Federation still has not figured it out. Are they marking the Governor on a curve?" Tittel said.
Tittel noted that other environmental groups have been silent as well.
The full rant, as well as a list of reasons the Sierra Club thinks the governor deserves an F, is here.