New York Times
POLITICAL MEMO
By RONALD SMOTHERS

TRENTON, May 18 — As a United States senator, and as a governor, Jon S. Corzine has cultivated a reputation in New Jersey as an ally of environmentalists.

From clean water to open space, from regulatory authority to toxic cleanups, his positions have — despite some bumps along the way — struck a responsive chord with advocates for the environment and earned him their support. But this week, two developments left many wondering whether the green aura surrounding him was fading.

First, Mr. Corzine abandoned his support on Monday for a referendum in November on whether to borrow $1.75 billion over the next 30 years to refinance the Garden State Preservation Trust.

Governor Corzine said on Friday that this did not mean he did not support the trust and the state’s purchase of open space and farmland, the largest such effort by any state in the nation. He said it simply meant that he wanted to wait and try to replenish the nearly depleted fund in the next year by selling or leasing assets like the New Jersey Turnpike, other tolls roads or the lottery.

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By RONALD LEIR
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER
Hudson County politicians yesterday called on state lawmakers and Gov. Jon Corzine to renew funding for the Garden State Preservation Trust, which provides cash for acquiring green space and developing it for recreational use.
Bayonne Mayor Joseph V. Doria Jr., who is also a Democratic state senator, was joined by Assemblyman Louis Manzo, D-Jersey City, Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise and NY/NJ Baykeeper representative Greg Remaud at Richard Rutkowski Park in Bayonne to press for the replenishment of the fund, which they characterized as "near empty."
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Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 05/18/07
Gov. Corzine is trying to link his idea to lease state assets with replenishing the Garden State Preservation Trust Fund — a move some say is attempted blackmail. It's also the wrong place for Corzine to be flexing his gubernatorial muscles. He should back away from his plan to keep a public question on the open space fund off the November ballot.
Instead of bonding to re-fund the trust, as has been done in the past with voter approval, Corzine wants to fund it with proceeds from selling or leasing state assets, such as toll roads or the lottery. He seems to be promising that phantom money to everyone. It sounds like a desperate attempt to sell his unpopular proposal.
The Corzine administration wants to quash legislation that would ask voters in November to replenish and strengthen the trust for 30 years. If placed on the ballot, it would likely be approved. Voters have passed 32 straight public questions on state ballots since 1991. And New Jerseyans have consistently supported preserving open space for recreation and to limit development.
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Troubling questions

Gov. Jon S. Corzine has been pushing hard the idea of “asset monetization” — selling or leasing state assets, ranging from toll roads to air rights. Some of those proposals may make sense; others may not. It's hard to say, because no specific proposal has been made public yet.
But what's troubling is that the administration seems to be linking decisions on vital and popular programs to those future, less-popular plans.
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Antis Try Again to Stop Polar Bear Hunting

The “Polar Bear Protection Act” was introduced in the House of Representatives this week to try to stop polar bear hunts, which occur mostly in Canada.  The bill would restore the 1972 moratorium on the importation of marine mammal trophies, repealing an exception from 1994 that allows the Interior Department to issue permits to bring in polar bear carcasses from hunts in Canada.  The Humane Society of the United States, Defenders of Wildlife and the International Fund for Animal Welfare released a statement calling on Congress to pass this legislation. “Like the last time when an anti-bear hunting bill was resoundingly defeated in the House, the CSF and the bipartisan Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus will work to defeat this misguided, anti-hunting legislative effort,” stated Jeff Crane, CSF President.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – As a long-time animal protection advocate and supporter of environmental issues, U.S. Representative Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02) today introduced bipartisan legislation that would expand the “Marine Mammal Protection Act” to prohibit the importation of polar bear trophy heads and hides into the United States. Joining with Representative Jay Inslee (WA-01) on the “Polar Bear Protection Act,” their legislation has already garnered the support of three leading animal protection and conservation groups - The Humane Society of the United States, Defenders of Wildlife, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
 
“There is clear, scientific evidence that the habitats of polar bears and other Arctic species are being threatened by global warming. As these irreplaceable species become increasingly endangered, it is our responsibility to make every reasonable effort to protect them,” said Congressman LoBiondo, a member of the Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus.
 
“Polar bears are being threatened by humans on two fronts: sport hunting and habitat loss due to global warming,” said Congressman Inslee, a leading congressional proponent of protecting the polar bear under the Endangered Species Act.  “We need to address both.”
 
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By CAROL COMEGNO, Courier Post Staff
Courier Post

MOUNT HOLLY
The Burlington County Board of Freeholders urged the Legislature to take immediate action to save the farmland and open space preservation program statewide.
The board sent a letter urging the Assembly Appropriations Committee and Speaker Joe Roberts, D-Camden, and the Assembly Appropriations Committee to consider a bill today that would place renewal of the $175 million Garden State Preservation Trust Fund on the November ballot for voter consideration.
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Burlington County Times
By: JOHN REITMEYER (Thu, May/17/2007)
MOUNT HOLLY — The Board of Freeholders is trying to pressure the state Legislature as it decides the fate of an expiring land-preservation fund that has pumped more than $66 million into Burlington County since 1999.
The freeholders discussed drafting a resolution during a public conference meeting yesterday that would urge the Legislature to let voters decide whether state sales tax revenue should be used to renew the Garden State Preservation Trust Fund.
The resolution is scheduled to be considered by the board during its public meeting next week. In the meantime, the board is sending a letter to legislators in support of a public referendum on the trust fund.
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The Fish and Game Council adopted amendments to the 2007-2008 Game Code at their May 8, 2007 meeting. The amendments become effective five days after they are published in the NJ Register which should occur in August, 2007. The following changes will be in effect for upcoming seasons. Please refer to the 2007 hunting edition of theFish and Wildlife Digest, due out in August, for specific season dates and other information.

BEAVER & OTTER: The late check-in for pelts is extended from seven to 20 days.

FALCONRY: Kestrels are eliminated from apprentice possession.

WOODCHUCK HUNTING: The use of rifles is excluded from all State Parks, Forests, and Recreation Areas.

OPOSSUM & RACCOON HUNTING: Hunting season dates which were omitted in Code have been restored (October 1 to March 1).

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The Democratic governor is smiling, but the Democratic Speaker of the Assembly is still itching for a fight over the proposed $33.3 billion state budget which is up for further debate in Trenton today and tomorrow.

By - Carl Barbati Posted on NJpols

Republicans, too, have their share of beefs over the spending plan, which might just become the first in recent years to hit a Constitutional deadline of July 1.
And then there are the Jersey bobcats. They're not a sports team, they're an endangered species, and they have a stake in these budget talks, as well.
After yesterday's "good news" session in the Assembly budget hearing, the action shifts to the state Senate budget hearing today, where the positive vibes are expected to continue.
And why not? Democrats control both houses of the Legislature along with the governor's office.
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