By Susan Jarvis
March 19, 2001

Just sixty-one days into his public service career, Senator Jon Corzine (NJ) addressed MWMA's annual meeting, providing insight into the environmental priorities of the 107th Congress. As a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, Senator Corzine will be shaping federal Brownfields, air quality, climate change, product stewardship, and water infrastructure policy. The Senator stressed that developing a partnership between the federal government and local municipalities will be the key to long term environmental success.

Taking questions from the audience, Senator Corzine re-affirmed his commitment to both environmental mandates and environmental funding, citing New Jersey's own environmental needs. "Brownfields redevelopment," he said, "has been essential for economic development, job growth and urban revitalization throughout New Jersey."

The Senator said that although there is broad bipartisan support for Brownfields re-development legislation, there will likely be dissent and debate over the details of process and funding, implementation and review, and how to address liability, delegation, and risk assessment concerns.

Senator Corzine said that he believes new EPA Administrator and former New Jersey Governor Christie Todd Whitman will be a strong advocate for the environment, but questions her "compassionate compliance" when it comes to enforcement issues.

Karen Larkin, immediate past president of the MWMA and Assistant Public Works Director, City of Tacoma (WA), welcomed the opportunity to work with the senator to create a greater awareness about the issues important to the MWMA membership, including waste to energy, product stewardship and shared responsibility and interstate flow control issues.