(TRENTON) – Assemblyman John McKeon (D- Essex, Morris) in the following statement decries the inaction of the Trump administration and the Christie administration on environmental policies that will help protect citizens from the effects of climate change:
“It’s a public disservice for state and federal leaders to continue to blatantly ignore the truth of climate science. Scientists from 13 federal agencies contributed to the climate report that has been stymied by denial and pure ignorance to the effects of climate change. This is a disgrace to a nation that has been a leader among nations in implementing effective environmental policies.
“From day one, the Christie administration has blocked or dismantled polices put in place to protect our environment and ward against the effects of climate change. Pulling New Jersey out of RGGI, striking down major environmental bills approved by the legislature, banning the dumping of fracking waste, protecting our waters and reducing harmful gas emissions in the state are just the tip of a rapidly melting iceberg.
“The Trump administration has followed Christie’s lead. The EPA administrator boldly denies the effect of human activities on the changing climate. Years of work to reduce our carbon footprint and proactive environmental policies are in jeopardy as long as this nation’s leaders continue to sit still and deny the reality of climate change and global warming effects.
“What will it take for there to be more recognition on the federal and state level — longer heat waves, severer storms, or the extinction of parts of our environmental heritage? I hope it doesn’t get that far. However, if we continue to ignore climate change, it will hurt nations and devastate our environmental resources that should be preserved and protected for future generations.”