Weinberg says Christie would 'turn back the clock' on environmental policies

Hours after the New Jersey Environmental Federation endorsed Republican Christopher Christie for Governor, State Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck) said that Christie would "turn back the clock on common sense environmental initiatives" that Gov. Jon Corzine has worked on over the last four years.

Weinberg, the Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor, says that under Corzine's leadership, "New Jersey has become a national leader on environmental policy."

"We are committed to making sure our kids will have clean water and fresh air for generations to come, while Christie is committed to the same failed environmental policies of the Bush Republicans," said Weinberg, who noted that Corzine's Commissioner of Environmental Protection, Lisa Jackson, was named to President Obama's cabinet as EPA Administrator.

"Chris Christie has boasted that he would fight the Obama administration's efforts to protect our air.  He has said that his first target for budget cuts would be environmental protection and that he'd roll back regulations that protect our air and water," Weinberg said.  "Christie has vowed to follow Sarah Palin and Mark Sanford's lead and reject more than $70 million in federal funds to invest in our state's energy programs and he is opposed to the open space bond issue which would protect our remaining green space.  I don't know about you, but I will take the recommendation of the President and the former Vice President when it comes to matters of the environment."

Senate Minority Leader Thomas Kean, Jr. (R-Westfield) said that Corzine was "willing to throw away the promises he made to New Jerseyans on the environment as soon as it was politically expedient to do so.

"Chris Christie will deliver on his promises with the leadership New Jerseyans expect and deserve. He has a record of enforcing environmental protections laws and has made initiatives that grow our economy and sustain our environment a key part of his campaign with his Energy As Industry plan," said Kean.