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A little over a year ago, New Jersey’s Republican Gov. Chris Christie announced that the state was dropping out of the northeast climate pact known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Christie declared RGGI, which began in January 2009, a “gimmicky program” and deemed it a failure, touching off outrage among enviros who saw it as the testing ground for larger policies to cut planet-warming emissions. Now greens are suing Christie.

The Natural Resources Defense Council and Environment New Jersey filed the suit on Wednesday. Over on its blog, NRDC argues that Christie circumvented public process when he made his decision to rescind New Jersey’s involvement in the pact:

The suit maintains that the Christie administration effectively dissolved the program in the state without following proper legal procedure. That procedure requires the administration to seek public input before making big decisions like this one. For example, by providing notice of its intent to repeal regulations and by giving the public a reasonable opportunity to comment.

Christie is seen a potential running mate for Mitt Romney, who also famously pulled out of RGGI right before it launched after previously supporting it. (Massachusetts eventually signed on after he left office.)