(with 2 updates below)

I knew we were in for a battle over environmental regulations, but this is ridiculous (see: “Cutting Onerous Regulations“)

Just hours after the polls closed, Governor elect Chris Christie told the New York Times that he would impose a moratorium on new regulations:

“Governor-elect Christopher J. Christie of New Jersey, basking in praise from Republicans who hailed him as the party’s new star, said Wednesday that he would move quickly to suspend new regulations on business…”

Christie Pledges Fight on Taxes and Business Rules

The controversial move takes a play out of the Bush I and II Administrations’ anti-regulatory playbook, (and conservative think tanks) and would impact several major environmental rules recently proposed by DEP and now in the pipeline pending adoption.

In addition, a moratorium would hamper protections overseen by the Highlands Council, the Pinelands Commission, and the NJ Meadowlands Commission.

A moratorium would block critically important rules required to implement the green house gas emission reduction goals of the Global Warming Response Act, the Energy Master Plan, and rules to promote energy conservation and renewable wind and solar power development.

Many of these DEP state rules are mandated by federal laws, such as the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) which manages hazardous waste. Therefore, any Christie move to impose such a moratorium sets up a certain showdown with the Obama EPA, led by former NJ DEP Commissioner Lisa Jackson. During the campaign, Christie vowed to fight Obama federal EPA oversight and enforcement efforts in NJ.

DEP environmental protection proposals now in the pipeline that could be derailed by a Christie moratorium include:

Proposals with Comment Period Closed

Greenhouse Gas Monitoring and Reporting Program, N.J.A.C. 7:1G-3.1, 3.2 and 5.3; N.J.A.C. 7:27-21.1 through 21.3, 21.5, and 21.11 through 21.13

N.J.A.C. 7:27-31 NOx Budget Program

[Update #1 11/6/09 – just came across this:

“Christie said his first executive order will be to freeze unfunded mandates and new regulations for ninety days, something he promised during his campaign.”

[Update #2 – it keeps coming:

Guadagno, who will be in charge of a committee given the task of taking 90 days to review the state’s regulations, joked that she didn’t expect to be this far along so quickly after the seemingly tight gubernatorial race.