To the Editor:

With the one-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy right around the corner, it’s time for New Jersey to have a serious conversation about tackling global warming.

Environment New Jersey found that power plants remain the single largest source of global warming pollution. The five dirtiest power plants in New Jersey create nearly 65 percent of the state’s pollution, but only 35 percent of our energy.

New Jersey has traditionally been an environmental leader, but Governor Christie’s removal of the state from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative — our best tool to combat carbon pollution from power plants — has moved New Jersey to the sidelines.

While in Washington D.C., the majority of Congress also sits on the sidelines, I want to thank Congressman Rush Holt for speaking out forcefully for federal action on tackling climate change. Thankfully, President Obama and his EPA have proposed a major new rule to curb carbon pollution spewing from new power plants. Because of the inaction here in New Jersey and in Congress, it is critical that the EPA moves forward to cut global warming pollution as quickly as possible.

Eric Bouchey,

Environment New Jersey Campaign Coordinator,

Trenton