It Took Cap-and-Trade to Smoke Dem Opposition Out

Dems Make First Noise in Opposition to Christie War on the Environment

Today’s Star Ledger carries the first story of Trenton Democrats standing in opposition to the Christie War on the Environment.

Are the Dems and the media finally waking up?

In contrast to his meek performance during the Senate confirmation hearing on Christie DEP nominee Bob Martin (see: Abdication in Trenton), it looks like Senator Bob Smith finally has taken the gloves off:

Bob Smith, chairman of the Legislature’s environment and energy committee, and a member of the appropriations committee, has vowed to fight the governor over the RGGI funds and the Clean Energy Fund, which the governor appropriated last month.

“The question that will come back to me and the other policymakers will be how can we justify raiding this fund when there are much better alternatives. We should continue for at least another year with higher income taxes on our wealthier residents,” said Smith, who is a vocal advocate for economic stimulus through green jobs.

Christie plans to take $65 million from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative’s (RGGI) cap-and-trade program, in addition to $158 million from the Clean Energy Fund. The total diversion is now over $300 million.

The Clean Energy Fund is earmarked for energy efficiency and renewable-energy programs and supports thousands of good green jobs.

Strange bedfellows in Trenton - Hal Bozarth (L - Chemistry Council) and Dena Mottola (R- Environment NJ) join forces to oppose Christie Clean Energy and RGGI cuts. Both supported the sham RGGI cap and trade legislation as well.

The RGGI legislation was hijacked and so funds are not nearly as effective in terms of global warming emissions reductions or as closely linked to job production, because 60% is allocated to private sector energy producers, including large industrial polluters like oil refineries. Another 20% goes to economic development and consumer related activities, while the final 20% goes to relatively ineffective planning and potentially sham mitigation projects at DEP.

But it is easy to criticize cuts in spending that benefit both powerful corporations and labor, and do little to direct real changes in energy use. It is far harder to challenge the Governor on policy and regulations to defend real environmental interests. These efforts are often opposed by corporations and labor.

Now if only Bob Smith can mobilize his fellow Democrats to expand the opposition from diversion of energy money to the far larger and more damaging war on environmental regulations, we might be able to block some of the worst elements of the Christie rollback agenda (for some examples, see this and this and this and for more details on the Christie EO’s, the “Red Tape Review Process”, and what it all means, see:

Water Pollution Enforcement Put Under the Gun of Christie Moratorium

Safe Drinking Water Jeopardized by Christie Moratorium

Oil Industry Seeks Clean Air Rollback Under Christie Moratorium

Clean Water Held Hostage by Christie Moratorium

Democrats in Legislature Join Christie “Red Tape” Environmental Rollback Juggernaut

Christie Rule Freeze Kills Drinking Water Standard for Chemical Found in Rocket Fuel & Military Explosives

DEP Creates Sham Process To Cover Defects in Christie Orders

Christie Regulatory Moratorium Blocks Major Environmental Protections

Christie Environmental Rollbacks Echo Whitman’s Failed Policy

Christie Regulatory Czar Given The Power and Tools To Rollback Environmental and Public Health Protections

Christie off on the “Right” Foot – Executive Orders Attack Environmental Protections