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Chris Christie on Environment
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Develop Liberty State Park to generate more revenue
Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and Senate President Stephen Sweeney blasted Christie's plans to generate more revenue from NJ's most visited park. The two Democrats said they would try to stall any development plan through legislation or litigation until
Christie's term expires in Jan. 2018.Opposition to the plans has grown since a state Department of Environmental Protection report detailed development possibilities at the park, including a low-rise hotel at the dilapidated train sheds. It also
called for developing the park's southern end, possibly an amusement park, field house for indoor sports, outdoor amphitheater and another marina.
Liberty State has long been a developer's dream. It has also been viewed as an untapped revenue source by
Christie, who is pushing for state parks to generate more revenue and use less taxpayer money. Liberty State brings in about $1.5 million in leases and concessions and requires about $2 million annually in taxpayer dollars to balance its operating budget
Source: Bergen Record on 2017 New Jersey gubernatorial race
, Jan 21, 2016
Ethanol in gasoline is the law; and that's just the minimum
"Don't mess with the RFS," Gov. Terry Branstad [R-IA] said, offering a not-so-subtle warning as he kicked off a daylong agriculture summit that featured a string of likely Republican presidential candidates. The RFS [the Renewable Fuel Standard,
which requires corn-based ethanol] is a major issue that White House hopefuls are forced to address whenever they visit the No. 1 corn-producing state.
But it's a less popular policy for small government conservatives, who decry the mandate as federal overreach in the private sector.Other contenders offered entirely opposite positions. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, for example, said he "absolutely"
supports the RFS. "That's what the law requires. So let's make sure we comply with the law. That should be the minimum," he said, drawing applause from the crowd.
Source: CNN coverage by Ashley Killough, of 2015 Iowa Ag Summit
, Mar 7, 2015
Vetoes regulation of animal confinement for gestating sows
Decrying what he called "a political cudgel" with which to beat him, Christie vetoed legislation banning the use of pig gestation crates. Christie urged legislators "to turn their attention to actual problems facing New Jersey," noting that the State
Board of Agriculture found the regulation to be unnecessary. "I will rely on our in-state experts rather than the partisan politicians who sponsor this bill," Christie said.The Senate bill (S998) would adopt regulations "prohibiting the confinement of
any sow during gestation in a manner that prevents the sow from fully extending the limbs of the animal."
The bill, which Christie called "a solution in search of a problem," gained national notoriety not so much for the effect it would have on New
Jersey's actual swine--there are only 9,000 in the state--but on Christie's political fortunes: Iowa is home to 20 million pigs.
Last year, Christie vetoed a similar bill (S1921) that would have banned the "cruel confinement" of a gestating sow.
Source: NJ.com 2014 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls
, Nov 28, 2014
New Jersey is being short-changed on Hurricane Sandy relief
Just three months ago, Sandy hit. Sandy was the worst storm to strike New Jersey in 100 years. 346,000 homes were damaged or destroyed. Nearly 7 million people and 1,000 schools had their power knocked out. 116,000 New Jerseyans were evacuated or
displaced from their homes. 41,000 families are still displaced from their homes. Sandy may have damaged our homes and our infrastructure, but it did not destroy our spirit. Make no mistake. We will be back, stronger than ever. We now look forward to
what we hope will be quick Congressional action on a full, clean Sandy aid bill--now, next week--and to enactment by the President. We have waited 72 days, seven times longer than victims of Hurricane Katrina waited. One thing I hope everyone now clearly
understands--NJ will never stand silent when our citizens are being short changed. The people of NJ are in need, not from their own actions but from an act of God that delivered a natural, human, and financial disaster.
Source: N.J. 2013 State of the State Address
, Jan 8, 2013
Canceled work on new Hudson River rail tunnel NYC to NJ
Canceled work on new Hudson River rail tunnel NYC to NJ
One of Corzine's highly touted projects had been in development for years but was being speeded up as a job-creating stimulus for construction trades. It also afforded the chance to get photos of Corzine with other
Source: Rise to Power, by B. Ingle & M. Symons, p.143-144
, Jun 5, 2012
Rejected $9B transit project as "tunnel to Macy's basement"
Christie had a run-in over what was called the nation's largest mass transportation project by supporters and "the tunnel to Macy's basement" by critics. For years there had been plans to build a new rail tunnel from Jersey to Manhattan. It was a dumb
idea. The NY end of the $9 billion tunnel did not terminate at Penn Station, but about 180 feet under Macy's department store. It wouldn't connect to Grand Central Station or any of the rail lines on Manhattan's east side.NY refused to pay its share.
It would have been paid for by NJ, Washington, and the Port Authority of NY and NJ, so in effect, Jersey paid twice. But NJ alone was responsible for any cost overruns, which were estimated to be $2 billion to $5 billion, but given the history of such
projects, that was a very conservative guess.
Christie killed it, saying NJ taxpayers would still be on the hook for overruns: "I cannot place upon the citizens of NJ an open letter of credit. Proponents are asking me to hand over a blank check."
Source: Rise to Power, by B. Ingle & M. Symons, p.232-234
, Jun 5, 2012
Jersey shore for tourism instead of offshore drilling
Stressing the importance of shore protection to the vitality of the state's $35 billion tourism industry, its coastal communities and overall quality of life, Governor Chris Christie said, "New Jersey's beach resources and shore towns are what make the
Jersey shore the unique destination it is, and are the reason thousands of visitors return year after year. As stewards of the environment, it is incumbent that we take all necessary measures to protect these treasures and to sustain our coastal
communities and the diverse economies they support."Governor Christie has expressed his strong opposition to off-shore drilling in New Jersey, as well as drilling off the coast of other nearby states that could negatively impact the state's
130 miles of coastline and multi-billion dollar tourism industry. He has also opposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities off of the New Jersey coast and has also restored beach replenishment funding to its full level.
Source: 2011 gubernatorial press release, "Shore Protection"
, Aug 11, 2011
$157 million for Green Acres open-space acquisition
Gov. Christie today signed a series of bills that protects Green Acres open-space acquisition and recreational development throughout the state. The legislation also makes available $157 million for projects in all of New Jersey's 21 counties including
preservation projects in the Highlands, the Barnegat Bay watershed, and urban waterfronts.Through the three bills, S-2857 provides $84.5 million for grants and loans to municipal and county governments for land acquisitions and park developments;
S-2858 makes available $14.8 million to assist nonprofit groups for acquisitions and park development; and S-2859 designates $57 million for state Green Acres acquisitions to expand and develop state parks, forests and wildlife management areas, as well
as purchase properties in flood-prone areas through Blue Acres acquisitions.
The DEP has earmarked money across the state to buy lands to add lands to the state's inventory of parks, forests, wildlife management areas, and other conservation areas.
Source: 2011 gubernatorial press release, "Protect Open Space"
, Aug 3, 2011
Page last updated: Jun 15, 2016