ExxonMobilProtest

A group of protesters gather outside the statehouse to protest a settlement with ExxonMobil (Sara Jerde/NJ.com)

TRENTON — About 45 environmental activists on Thursday staged a Statehouse protest against the settlement between Gov. Chris Christie's administration and ExxonMobil and in favor of a constitutional amendment that would dictate how money would be spent in similar environmental litigation settlements.

The measure (SCR163/ACR230), if approved, would put a motion on the ballot for voters to choose whether they would want dedicate all money from environmental damage settlements to "repair damage to, restore, or permanently protect the State's natural resources."

A bill with the same intention was vetoed by Christie following his administration's $225 million settlement with ExxonMobil for polluting at two New Jersey refinery sites, the Bayonne and Bayway facilities. Lawmakers introduced the constitutional amendments to bypass the governor's approval and put it on the ballot for the voters to decide.

"Monies from environmental litigation should go to the communities and environmental groups that have been affected," said Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. "Stop stealing the people's money and send it to where it belongs."

The agreement, which took a decade of litigation, also cleared ExxonMobil's liability in pollution at 16 other industrial sites and hundreds of gas stations throughout the state. State officials initially claimed the oil company caused $8.9 billion in damages, but both parties settled out of court in March for the million-dollar figure before a judge ruled on the case. The settlement also included cleanup at the two sites.

"This state is so dirty and we know it," said Terry Stimpfel, a volunteer with the Sierra Club who attended the rally.

The settlement has been the subject of a 60 day comment period, longer than the legally required 30 days, which ends June 5. It's up to state Superior Court Judge Michael Hogan to approve the settlement. The protesters urged him to not do so.

"All in all, this settlement stinks," said Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union).

The state Senate has passed a resolution condemning the settlement. The resolution is only a strong recommendation from the Senate and doesn't require Hogan from ruling one way or the other.

Christie administration officials have defended the settlement, saying it is the "single largest environmental settlement with a corporate defendant in New Jersey."

"The notion that this settlement represents something less than what is fair for New Jerseyans is absurd and baseless," Kevin Roberts, a spokesman for Christie, said in March.

Sara Jerde may be reached at sjerde@njadvancemedia.com . Follow her on Twitter @SaraJerde. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.