A Monmouth University/Gannett Poll released today found widespread public support for strong environmental regulations (See the press release and poll results and methodology by clicking here).
The results are a strong rebuke of the Christie Administration’s early efforts to impose a freeze on regulations (see also Executive Order #1); scale back NJ’s strict state regulations to minimum federal standards (see Executive Order #2); and the sweeping anti-regulatory policy recommendations of the Christie Environmental Transition Team Report.
Seventy Nine (79%) of NJ residents said they would be upset in Governor Christie relaxed environmental regulations (42% “very upset” and 37% “somewhat upset”).
Support was highest among Democrats, where a surprising 91% supported strong environmental regulations, while 75% of Independents and even 67% of registered Republicans said they would be “upset” if NJ’s environmental regulations were relaxed in response to the state budget and economic crisis.
Just 15% were “not too upset” and a mere 4% actually supported rollbacks, saying they were “not upset at all”.
Any effort by the Republican Christie Administration to rollback environmental protections has virtually no public support (4%) and would lack support of even Republican voters.
The people of NJ historically have strongly supported environmental protection. Faced with the most pavement, pollution, cancer, and asthma per square mile in the country, they’ve learned that environmental and public health protections depend on a package of strong regulations, robust government oversight, and strict enforcement.
By repeatedly approving state and local ballot questions to raise their own taxes and issue debt to fund preservation by wide margins, NJ voters are willing to pay for environmental programs. And they will reject any politician who attempts to weaken any one of them (e.g. these Republican Assembly candidates who proposed to abolish DEP were defeated).
We hope that the Christie Administration abides by the will of the people and abandons early efforts to rollback NJ’s strong environmental regulations.
And we hope that these results will strengthen the resolve of Democrats and moderate Republicans to resist the Christie rollback agenda proposed thus far.
Great post Bill. Between Senator Oroho’s bill http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2010/Bills/S0500/342_I1.PDF and the transition reports, its pretty clear that this is a coordinated effort to roll back environmental protections. I’m glad you’ve shown how small a part of the state expenditures DEP actually is.
Dear GW Heyduke (Heyduke LIVES!)
Thanks for the heads up on Oroho;s bill. DEP to become Economic Development and Regulatory Affairs! Holy sh–t!
Readers are encouraged to provide information in comments – we need to share info and this can be a vehicle to do that. I am available privately by email with full confidentiality at bill_wolfe@comcast.net
GW – forgot to mention that Christie just appointed Senator Oroho to the “Red Tape Review” Commission created by EO – DEP Acting Commissioner, known for dismantling in private sector, is the only agency head on that taskforce.
These guys are extremely dangerous – I hope the NJ ENGO community wakes up and organizes in time to block this DEP dismantling and regulatory rollback.
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Yeh Bill Sorry for name but I need to keep a “neutral” public persona- there are sharks in the waters I swim. At least you get it…….. It’s surprising how many folks skipped the visit to the Abbey.
Yes, the Abbey is a dangerous place these days, what with monkeywrenching and “eco-terrorist” just about number 1 on the FBI and NSA domestic security lists. My gracious, I’ve had Homelands Security investigators (3 of them!) at my home and been illegally searched and detained by local police several times simply for shooting environmental photographs you see on this blog!
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