NJ Senator Introduces Package of Bills To Promote Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions and Increase Renewable Energy Goals

[Intro Note: I could not resist noting that these bills, intended to implement the Global Warming Response Act, come almost exactly seven years after this Star Ledger Op-Ed:

• No Teeth in “Tough” Pollution Law –

The [GWRA] law — contrary to widespread media coverage — does not legally cap greenhouse gas emissions or mandate emissions reductions on any major pollution sources. As a result, the law’s theoretically “mandatory” goals are unenforceable and therefore a fiction. They amount to the same voluntary approach backed by the Bush administration. 

Specifically, the law provides no regulatory authority, funding or staff for the DEP to take the necessary steps to implement and enforce the emission reduction goals. Instead, the DEP is kept on a tight leash and merely directed to develop a set of recommendations on how to meet the goals and to submit that proposed plan to the Legislature by June 2008. In passing the law, the Legislature merely kicked the can down the road, postponing hard choices for well over a year. 

Perhaps even worse, any DEP powers to implement the goals of the law were explicitly narrowed. DEP’s role is limited to emissions monitoring and reporting progress in achieving the goals.   ~~~ end intro

Prior to hearing the bills on the agenda today, Senate Environment Committee Chairman Bob Smith announced the introduction of a package of bills.

The bills grew out of the Energy Stakeholder process Smith created and the all day hearing held earlier this summer. Additional bills are being drafted on a broad range of related energy and greenhouse gas emission issues.

The bills were distributed at the hearing – I was not there and don’t have copies, but did listen in and heard Smith summarized them as follows:

1) Smart Growth and Sustainable development to be included as part of  local master plan under NJ Municipal Land Use law – obviously, the devil is in the details on major issues, such as whether the bill is simply permissive, or requires inclusion in local Master Plans, a well as how the concepts are defined and implemented programmatically in local zoning and land use ordinances.

I can’t wait to read the bill, but, based on many years of observing Trenton on land use issues and having a vague familiarity with these slogans, have very low expectations

2) revise NJ Department of Transportation’s capital budget process to address greenhouse gas emissions and the goals of the Global Warming Response Act.

Again, sounds interesting, but DOT already abuses the Clean Air Act’s SIP conformity review process.

3) A Resolution to the federal government supporting reductions in gas pipeline emissions

4) increase in the current Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards (RPS)

Smith dismissed the long term contract mechanisms as one means to implement RPS goals.

5) increase current net metering rate of 2.5% to 7.5%

More to follow when the bills become available electronically.

Apparently, Smith is seeking sponsors and they will be formally introduced today so should be on line shortly.