New Jersey Environmental Policies
News
State-level Environmental Policies
- Executive Order No. 23: Addresses Environmental Justice Issues in New Jersey’s Urban Communities
- Executive Order No. 7: Directs New Jersey to Reenter the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
- Executive Order No. 63: Establishing new regulatory principles to foster economic growth and government efficiency. Rescinds and replaces Governor Christie’s Executive Orders No. 1 (2010) and No. 2 (2010)
- Executive Order No. 89: Governor Murphy Signs Executive Order to Establish Statewide Climate Change Resilience Strategy
- Executive Order No. 92: Governor Murphy Signs Executive Order to Increase Offshore Wind Goal to 7,500 Megawatts by 2035
- Executive Order No. 100: Directs the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to make sweeping regulatory reforms, branded as Protecting Against Climate Threats (PACT), to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change
Senate Bill No. 3207: Global Warming Response Act
New Jersey Climate Goals
On February 21, 2018, Governor Murphy signed P.L. 2018, c.3, requiring New Jersey to join the US Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of US states committed to uphold the United Nations’ Paris Climate Accord despite the federal government’s decision to withdrawal. On the one-year anniversary of the US’s withdrawal, the Climate Alliance committed to several new actions, including cuts in short-lived climate pollutants such as methane and black carbon, and financing for clean energy.
Statewide Energy Planning
Board of Public Utilities, with support from the Department of Environmental Protection, is currently developing a program to enable utility customers to participate in a solar energy project that is remotely located from their property.
Drive Green New Jersey is a program designed to educate the public about the benefits of electric vehicles while dispelling myths, and highlight incentives to advance investment in electric vehicle charging infrastructure throughout New Jersey, such as the “It Pay$ to Plug-In” Workplace Charging Grant Program.
The latest Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report for 2015 covers statewide emissions for the years 2013, 2014, and 2015.
In May of 2018, Governor Phil Murphy signed Executive Order #28 directing the development of a new Energy Master Plan that will serve as a comprehensive blueprint for the total conversion (100%) of the State’s energy production to clean energy sources by 2050.
In January of 2018, Governor Phil Murphy Signed Executive Order #8 directing all New Jersey State Agencies with responsibilities under the Offshore Wind Economic Development Act (OWEDA) to fully implement OWEDA in order to meet a goal of obtaining 3,500 MW from offshore wind by the year 2030.
The Renewable Portfolio Standard requires each electricity supplier serving retail customers in the State to procure 35% of the electricity it sells in New Jersey from qualified renewable energy resources by 2025 and 50% by 2030. Also includes a solar requirement of 5.1% by 2021
The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is a multi-state, market-based program that establishes a regional cap on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from electric power generating facilities. Proceeds from the program support the greenhouse gas reduction efforts and incentivize the adoption of clean and renewable energy in the state.
State-level guidance on siting solar Photovoltaic (PV) projects based on land use/land cover, including a screening tool for site specific information.
New Jersey has committed to working with Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states in designing a new regional low-carbon transportation policy proposal that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.
Sources:
Article on AMOC shutdown: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-022-01380-y.pdf
Polar Bear News: isolated-greenland-polar-bear-population-adapts-to-climate-change