“Right now, we are on track to become the first state in the union to run out of open space. I love New Jersey being first in a lot of things, but that’s not where we want to be.” That was former Gov. Christine Todd Whitman speaking at a New Jersey Conservation Foundation event a few years ago.

Former Gov. James Florio agreed with Whitman, adding that it is incorrect to believe that the state must choose between a healthy economy and a healthy environment.