McKeon on State’s Rush to Settle Environmental Lawsuits Before November Constitutional Amendment Vote

            (TRENTON) – Assemblyman John McKeon (D-Essex. Morris) issued the following statement on Friday:

“Repeatedly during budget hearings I have asked the Attorney General about the state’s plans to seek settlements for the numerous outstanding environmental lawsuits owed to the state.  And every year they give no inclination of when this would happen or if the state is even close to settlement in cases that have been around for decades.

“This is a last ditch effort by the state to control settlement funds before voters approve a constitutional amendment to block these funds from being used for any intention other than environmental cleanup and restoration.  If the state is successful in securing the settlements before November, we will see these funds raided for the Governor’s pet projects instead of helping the communities affected by environmental contamination incidents.

“New Jersey voters deserve better. They do not deserve such underhanded tactics from an outgoing administration. They deserve state settlement funds to be used to clean up the mess these companies have made in their communities. Using the environmental settlement funds for anything else should be against the law.”