Corzine requested that the inspector general investigate the history of the project’s financing after raising concerns that the towns could be at risk of "financial detriment" as a result of their separate agreements with EnCap.

The report revealed EnCap "overstated its qualifications" when the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission selected it to redevelop the landfills and had already lost its financial backer when the contract was signed.

Furthermore, the report said EnCap kept the state in the dark about financial agreements with the separate towns and kept the towns in the dark about financing from the state. Lastly, Cooper characterized the project as "a stutter-start, disorganized and mismanaged operation."

"The project was mismanaged by EnCap as they hired consultants and project managers with funds from their public financing, but appeared to have been absentee owners, often having only a few employees involved in the project," said Cooper.

The inspector general recommended a "Point Entity" to manage relationships between private firms and state agencies in the future, an audit of the use of all public funds for the project and further review of the report by the state agencies involved.

The report was also forwarded to the Department of Criminal Justice to find out if EnCap’s conduct warrants criminal investigation. The inspector general’s report can be viewed in full at http://www.state.nj.us/oig/pdf/Meadowlands%20Remediation%20and%20Redevelopment%20Project.pdf