While it is very upsetting, it doesn't come as much of a surprise that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's administration settled a decade-long, $8.9 billion pollution lawsuit against Exxon for $225 million. It's a move that's anti-environment, fiscally reckless, and uncomfortably chummy--in other words, just another day in NJ under Christie's leadership.
I'm heartened by the statewide outcry, and it's nice to see the state senate make 2 significant moves to scuttle this deal: Passing a resolution urging the presiding judge to reject the settlement, and passing legislation that would force the governor to use more of the proceeds for environmental remediation and less of them for padding his budget deficit (subject to his veto, of course).
I hope that the judge does what's right for the state and what's just for years of corporate malfeasance, rejecting Exxon's sweetheart deal. I hope that NJ ends up with much more in the end. If so, only some of that money (beyond the first $50 million) will ultimately go towards the cleanup.
I have a proposal for a small portion of the rest:
REVIVE THE NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
The Governor's School on the Environment was a state-funded program that, for more than 2 decades, provided an opportunity each summer for up to 100 students from around the state to spend a month at Richard Stockton College (now Stockton University) studying environmental science. Stockton's unique setting adjacent to some of the most important forests and wetlands in the entire region makes it a terrific hands-on laboratory for experiential environmental education.
The month-long program was tuition-free, and included housing and all meals, making it accessible to all eligible New Jerseyans, not just the kids whose parents could afford to pay for summer camps, travel, and enrichment programs. It attracted a diverse group of students from all over the state, with admission based on a demonstrated passion for environmental issues and a strong high school record.
But, like all other 'discretionary' budget items, it was always subject to the whims of the state budget, legislature, and, of course, its namesake, the Governor. For many years in the mid-oughts, its funding was threatened and diminished. Then, in 2010, the funding dried up entirely and the Governor's School on the Environment ceased to exist.
IT'S TIME TO BRING BACK THE NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL ON THE ENVIRONMENT.
We live in a time where environmental issues, and specifically climate change, are amongst the most critical issues facing humanity. We need to educate and inspire the next generation of environmental leaders to tackle these big problems. Yes, we need to make big changes in policy (starting with the Governor) and in our energy portfolio (starting with the largest energy corporation in the world, ExxonMobil). But we also need to start small, and to give passionate, idealistic young New Jerseyans the motivation and knowledge to help change the world.
Here's where I propose that we start: The legislature should pass a bill re-establishing the Governor's School on the Environment with a portion of any excess proceeds reached in the event of a larger settlement. But they shouldn't stop there. The bill should create an endowment that funds the school in perpetuity (at perhaps $6,000 per student, $600,000 should fund the school for one year, and $12-$15 million--a small fraction of a billion-dollar settlement--would fund it for the foreseeable future), shielding it from the fickle priorities of politicians.
Much as the multi-billion dollar settlements with cigarette manufacturers helped establish our country's anti-smoking programs, wouldn't it be great if a settlement with one of the state's biggest polluters, during the tenure of a governor who has shown little concern for climate change and other environmental issues, helped to re-establish a celebrated environmental education program?