Sean LaTourette loves to talk about his role as state Environmental Protection Commissioner and how it works with the business community.
And he loves to do it with humor.
There is a need to better understand how eager and willing the DEP is to work with the business community, LaTourette said at a recent panel called “Let’s Get Realistic About Climate Change” at the Shahinian and Giant Mashi Church in Roseland.
“One of the misconceptions and errors of conventional wisdom is that you either have growth and development and economic development or environmental protection, and the two never intersect, because you have to sacrifice one,” he began, before concluding with a sarcastic remark.
“Of course it works that way. Except it doesn’t work that way at all.”
LaTourette said part of that story stems from the different perspective the DEP has on the issue and its view of individual companies.
“Our job is to see what one company or one community doesn’t see — to take a broader view of the entire watershed, the entire region, the entire state,” he said. “It’s not that DEP officials who are evaluating projects want to get in the way of a particular project, but the perspective they have is bigger than the project.”
Dennis Toft, head of environmental law at CSG law firm, agreed. During the panel discussion, Toft said he works with his clients to try to get the full picture.
“We advise our clients on how they can comply with the rules,” he said. “Clients are always concerned about how those rules are going to change and how things are going to evolve.”
“Beyond that, the questions arise: What do you want to build the project for? How long do you want it to last? Do you want it to be sustainable? Nobody wants to build a building that will be submerged. People need to understand that, and we’re advising people to understand that the rules are made to protect them.”
There is no question that business and government are already intricately intertwined and need to work together.
“Whether you’re a lawyer or an environmentalist, there’s not an area of the economy or an area of legal practice where this issue doesn’t matter,” LaTourette said. “Everyone needs to understand what the climate reality is in New Jersey, how it impacts you, your firm and your clients, and how the actions we all take collectively across business and government on this issue will be a major driver for years to come.”
