Governor Christie at Barnegat Bay - Protecting the Environment is a New Jersey Issue
Date
8/5/2011
Date Removed
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Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Trenton, N.J.: Office of the Governor
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Uploaded on Aug 4, 2011
Barnegat Bay. August 4, 2011 (Transcript Below)
Governor Christie: Well, good afternoon everybody. It's great to be at the Jersey Shore on a beautiful summer afternoon. I thank all of you for coming out. Listen, there can't be any compromise at all when it comes to the integrity of our state's water infrastructure systems and the impact that they have on environmental treasures like the Barnegat Bay. So the legislation we signed today supports my commitment for the long-term restoration of the Bay and the overall environmental health of this gem of New Jersey. It took generations unfortunately for the Bay to get to the point that it's in now and its decline is not going to be reversed overnight. Commissioner Martin and the DEP are aggressively implementing the components of the comprehensive ten-point plan that we introduced last December right here in Ocean County. Including launching of an ecosystem- based water quality monitoring system to improve scientific understanding of the Bay, implementing the nation's toughest fertilizer law which we did in a bipartisan way which will help the Bay and nutrient-stressed waterways across New Jersey to become healthier again. Now these projects have a real positive impact, not only on the quality of life in our state but also in the economic life of our state because we know that the Jersey Shore, Barnegat Bay, are a huge economic driver in the state of New Jersey and they will not continue to be if we do not treat them with the type of care that we need to make sure that people still want to come here and fish and swim and recreate on the waters of the Jersey Shore and that's what these grants are intended to do. We have to invest in the things that are going to continue to make New Jersey one of the models in the future for balancing ecological protection with economic development. We can't have one and not have the other. We have to try to do both. Now at times there are going to be folks who are in favor of more environmental development who'll think we're being too sensitive environmentally. There will be times when people from the environmental movement will say we're tilting too much towards business. My view, as long as they're both complaining I'm doing all right. If they're both complaining about things we're doing OK and I know that at times these are emotional issues; but putting people back to work in New Jersey is an emotional issue for me. There are too many people without jobs and we need to have private sector job growth in the state and we have moved towards that. and if you look at this legislation that we're talking about today sponsored by both Republicans and Democrats, supported by Republicans and Democrats because these problems of protecting our environment and bringing economic growth are not Republican or Democratic issues they are New Jersey issues; we need to solve them as New Jerseyans so that we leave this place better for our children and grandchildren than it was left to us. That's our solemn commitment to each other and regardless of party I'm going to continue to work to make that happen and that's why I'm glad to see Republicans and Democrats here today in Ocean County to say we believe in the Environmental Infrastructure Trust, in protecting Barnegat Bay, but also in growing our economy and putting people back to work, and I want to thank the Republican and Democratic members of the Legislature who are here for their support and for their hard work. It's very appreciated.
Keywords
Governors - New Jersey, Government and Politics - New Jersey, Press Releases, Energy and the environment