TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is again blocking Democratic lawmakers’ attempt to have the state rejoin a regional environmental pact.

Christie on Thursday vetoed a measure approved in the Legislature that would require the state to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Nine Mid-Atlantic and New England states have agreed to cap carbon dioxide emissions and trade the excess in auctions.

Christie pulled out of the initiative in 2011, saying it amounted to a tax on utility customers.

The state will likely rejoin the initiative after Christie leaves office in January. Democratic gubernatorial nominee Phil Murphy and Republican gubernatorial nominee Kim Guadagno both say the state should rejoin.

The other states in the initiative are Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont.

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