Lawmakers maneuver to get N.J. back in regional emission-cutting effort

New Jersey lawmakers are planning to deploy a rarely used legislative maneuver that would force the Christie administration to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Senate President Steve Sweeney says lawmakers will use a “concurrent resolution” to override a Department of Environmental protection rule change and force the state to rejoin the carbon-emission reduction program.

Gov. Chris Christie’s decision to quit RGGI ignored the intent of a measure lawmakers approved, said Sweeney, D-Gloucester.

“We’re not going to be ignored and where we can flex our muscle or our authority, we’re not going to abuse it, but we’re not going to be abused,” he said. “And we’re not going to let the people of this state be abused.”

Since Christie’s 2011 decision to withdraw from RGGI, Sweeney said the state has lost hundreds of millions of dollars and thousands of jobs.

The governor has vetoed measures lawmakers approved calling for the state to rejoin the program.

Sweeney says the new tactic will pave the way for that to happen without Christie’s approval.