Was it a Grinch-like move? NJ governor says no to Christmas tree burns

Gov. Phil Murphy says "no" to reviving a post-holiday tradition for some New Jersey towns.

The health of New Jersey residents is more important than winter celebrations, according to Murphy's veto of a bill that would have permitted municipalities to hold annual events for the open burning of Christmas trees.

Christmas trees are on New Jersey's list of refuse materials that cannot be openly burned. But only in 2019 did the state Department of Environmental Protection start threatening enforcement due to the negative health impacts associated with the events.

The move left towns in the dark for their January or February celebrations, forcing some to get creative with their makeshift bonfires.

Once again in 2024, because of the veto, the "yuletide bonfire" held by the town of Clinton will be burning pallets instead of trees. And at the end, according to Mayor Janice Kovach, volunteers will hit the area with a "super magnet" to collect all of the nails that are left behind.

"While I get it that any kind of open burn impacts our air quality, this is once a year," Kovach told New Jersey 101.5. "If we had 50 to 100 trees, that was a lot."

But 50 to 100 trees in multiple towns can add up. Murphy's veto, which he issued on Nov. 27, notes that combustible plant matter results in the release of air pollutants that come with a host of health effects — even short-term exposure can cause immediate respiratory distress.

The veto adds that the open burns create conditions conducive to wildfires — forest fire season has been growing longer and more intense in the Garden State in recent years.

From Murphy's veto of S861:

"I appreciate that holiday bonfires have been a cherished tradition in certain municipalities, bringing communities together in celebration, attracting tourists in the winter months, and raising money for charitable purposes. However, protecting the health of our most vulnerable residents must come first."

Kovach said she plans to continue pushing for the exception to the rule. The vetoed legislation had both Democratic and Republican sponsors, and it was approved unanimously by both the Senate and the Assembly.

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