newjerseynewsroom.com

Sierra Club director charges action a bid to dismantle environmental protections

BY TOM HESTER SR.

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Gov. Chris Christie has nominated six Republicans to the state Pinelands Commission, the panel that oversees the protection and development of 1,449 square miles of the Pinelands National Preserve that cover seven South Jersey counties or 19 percent of the entire state.

Christie nominated Stephen V. Lee, III of Chatsworth, a former Pinelands commissioner who may become the new chairman; De Arcy Rohan Green, chairman of the Bay Head Environmental Commission; former Camden County Freeholder Mark S. Lohbauer of Pennsauken, a consultant on municipal redevelopment with the JGSC Group of Merchantville; Pemberton Councilman Richard H. Prickett, and Lacey Township Mayor Gary Quinn. The governor renominated Candace McKee Ashmun of Bedminster who has served on the commission since its creation in 1979.

As governor, Christie or has the power to name seven of the 15 commissioners. A commissioner serves an unsalaried three-year term.

Reacting to the nominations, Jeff Tittel, New Jersey Sierra Club director, said Friday, “With these appointments and the potential for Steve Lee to be chair, this is the start of Governor Christie dismantling Pinelands protections.”

Tittel said his organization is especially concerned about the nominations of Lee and Quinn and intends to oppose their appointments before the state Senate Judiciary Committee.

“Of our most concern is Steve Lee is back being nominated for the Pinelands Commission,” Tittel said. “He was a long time pro-development, anti- Pinelands protection member of commission who (Democratic) Governor (Jon) Corzine took off and now Governor Christie is putting him back on.

“The New Jersey Sierra Club is troubled that Lee may become the next chair of the Pinelands Commission,” Tittel said. “Lee has been environmentalists’ long time foe and an outspoken leader of the pro development faction of the commission. He is being joined by Gary Quinn, the pro development, anti-environmental mayor of Lacey Township. Quinn has spent years trying to put a highway down the bike cycle path. He is also close to Ocean County development interests.

“Lee and Quinn together give the Pinelands Commission a pro development slant that we are concerned may undermine thirty years of Pinelands protections,” Tittel said..

“Of the other appointees, some are very good like Darcy Green and Richard Prickett,” Tittel added. “Mark Lohbauer we think will be somewhere in the middle. Over all these appointments are better than the governor‘s appointments to the Highlands Commission, which has been a disaster.”

Michael Drewniak, Christie's press secretary, said of the criticism, "Jeff Tittel is not a credible critic. He's become too political and has no ability to moderate his criticism."

Christie also nominated former Rutgers University athletic director Robert E. Mulcahy of Bedminster and Gerald Owens of South Orange to the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority.

Other nominations are:

• Morris county board of taxation
• Michael D. DiFazio of East Hanover
• Bernard J. Tyson of Parsippany
• Matthew R. Petracca of Lincoln Park
• New Jersey Redevelopment Authority
• R. Andrew Marshall of Chatham
• Ellis Island Advisory Commission
• Scott McLester of Skillman
• State Employment and Training Commission
• G. Jeremiah Ryan of Paramus
• Middlesex County Board of Taxation
• Michael E. Lachs of East Brunswick
• Council on Local Mandates
• Sharon L. Weiner of Morristown
• Nirmal Mulye of South Brunswick
• Former Hamilton (Mercer) mayor John K. Rafferty
• James Toolen of Waldwick
• Gloucester County Board of Elections
• David F. Ferrucci of Newfield
• Christopher J. Powell of Mantua