Environmentalists are blasting state energy and environment Commissioner Dan Esty for briefing clients of an investment firm in a conference call Tuesday about state plans and pending legislation on energy that could benefit Northeast Utilities – which paid Esty $205,000 in consulting fees before Gov. Dannel P. Malloy appointed him in 2011.

Together we made hundreds of calls and letters to legislators in opposition to the clean energy rollbacks in Senate Bill 1138. We need you again! Click here to take action.

Instead of supporting environmentally damaging large-scale hydropower in Canada, and helping Northeast Utilities build a transmission line, let's support the entrepreneurs and small businesses that are building clean energy here in New England!

Clean Water Action volunteers hold up signs expressing the danger of climate change.

On an interactive map of the United States that records the number of extreme weather events that have taken place over the last several years, New Jersey might as well be the black eye.

The red, purples and magentas that color each of New Jersey's 21 counties make up the wrong end of the weather-related disaster spectrum, marking the entire state as a recurring extreme weather target. Should nothing be done to curb pollution and carbon emissions, a recent report from Environment New Jersey Research and Policy Center details, expect that trend to continue.

Fort Collins, CO -- Tonight the Fort Collins City Council voted unanimously to postpone their decision about whether to terminate the moratorium on fracking until their May 21st meeting.  The City Council passed a ban in March, but that ban allowed one currently operating driller to continue drilling and fracking in north Fort Collins.  However, three weeks later, the Council passed an "Agreement" with that driller to open up two new square mils of land for drilling and fracking.  The Council's postponement comes after it received hundreds of public comments in email and phone messages over the last few days.  Many of those comments were very critical of the "Agreement" with the driller and of the Council's attempt to expand drilling and fracking in Fort Collins on

BAYONNE, N.J. (AP) — Four years after it endorsed Chris Christie's gubernatorial bid, a major environmental group in New Jersey has announced its backing his likely Democratic opponent in this year's campaign.

The New Jersey Environmental Federation announced its support for state Sen. Barbara Buono's candidacy during a news conference Tuesday in Bayonne.

Group members said Christie has failed to keep most of the promises he made regarding environmental issues during his 2009 campaign. He was the first Republican the federation had ever endorsed.

Speaking at the news conference, Buono said she was happy to receive the group's endorsement.

BAYONNE – The New Jersey Environmental Federation gambled in 2009 when it decided to back Republican candidate Chris Christie over incumbent Gov. Jon Corzine.

Today, a day after Earth Day, the group claimed it made a mistake, and issued an endorsement of state Sen. Barbara Buono (D-18), the presumptive Democratic nominee for governor.

“Gov. Christie believes the economy and the environment are mutually exclusive,” said Dave Pringle, leader of the NJ Environmental Federation, who vowed to lead a door-pounding effort on behalf of the challenger.

BAYONNE  – Calling her the best steward to advance environmental protection and grow the economy, the NJ Environmental Federation (NJEF) announced its endorsement of state Sen. Barbara Buono for Governor at the solar-powered Bayonne High School on Tuesday.

NJEF backed Christie in 2009 but found endorsing Buono in 2013 an easy call given a series of broken promises by Gov. Chris Christie and Buono’s record and vision on issues like clean energy and green jobs.

TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) — Chris Christie may be thinking the upcoming governor’s race will come down to a choice between him and Jon Corzine.

Though the former Democratic governor doesn’t even live in New Jersey anymore, Christie keeps bringing up the name of the opponent he unseated in 2009.

The governor referred to a prior Democratic budget as the “Corzine-Buono budget” on Monday night’s “Ask the Governor” program on Townsquare Media.

On Tuesday, the Republican State Committee announced a new website, called corzinedemocrats.com.

The site features a photo of Corzine with Sen. Barbara Buono, who is running against Christie in November.