TRENTON – On the eve of the Live Earth Concerts for a Climate in Crisis,
Governor Jon S. Corzine signed legislation adopting proactive and ambitious
goals for the reduction of green house gas emissions in New Jersey. The legislation calls for
reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, approximately a 20
percent reduction, followed by a further reduction of emissions to 80 percent
below 2006 levels by 2050. New
Jersey is only the third state in the nation make
greenhouse gas reduction goals law and these provisions were previously set in
Executive Order 54 which the Governor signed in February.
“In the absence of leadership on the federal level, the
burden of reducing greenhouse gases has now fallen upon the states,” Governor
Corzine said. “I’m proud that New
Jersey is one of the first among a handful of states
that are leading the nation to combat global warming and I hope more states
will follow in our model.”
To reach this goal, the Commissioner of the Department of
Environmental Protection (DEP) will work with the Board of Public Utilities
(BPU), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Department of Community
Affairs (DCA) and other stakeholders to evaluate methods to meet and exceed the
2020 target reductions. The DEP Commissioner will make specific recommendations
to meet the targets while taking into account the economic benefits and costs
of implementing these recommendations. This evaluation will be done in
conjunction with the state’s pending Energy Master Plan, which will incorporate
the new greenhouse gas reduction goal.
The legislation calls on the DEP to develop a 1990
greenhouse gas emission inventory as well as a system for monitoring current
greenhouse gas levels so that progress toward goals can be accurately tracked.
DEP will report progress towards the target reductions to the Governor and the
Legislature no less than every two years and if necessary will recommend
additional actions to reach the targets. To
further reduce emissions, the order calls for the Director of Energy Savings to
develop targets and implementation strategies for reducing energy use by state
facilities and vehicles fleets.
The bill, A3301, was sponsored in the Assembly by
Assemblypersons Linda Stender (Middlesex, Somerset, Union), Valerie Vainieri
Huttle (Bergen), Reed Gusciora (Mercer), Linda R. Greenstein (Mercer,
Middlesex), and John F. McKeon (Essex). The legislation sponsored in the
Senate by Senators Barbara Buono (Middlesex), Thomas H. Kean Jr. (Essex,
Morris, Somerset, Union), and Bob Smith
(Middlesex, Somerset).
"Global warming is the issue that will define the early
21st century," said Senator Barbara Buono, (Middlesex). "It
touches every aspect of American life - economics, the environment,
international security - and is a problem New Jersey can no longer afford to
avoid. Our children and grandchildren will look back to today and
recognize it as one of the major turning points in the battle against climate
change."
“Today, New Jersey
becomes a leading force in the global fight against climate change and
promoting new technologies and strategies to counteract greenhouse gas
emissions,” said Assemblywoman Linda Stender (Union). “Our country has come
to a critical juncture on global warming: we can take action now to protect
public health and our environment, or we can dawdle and pay a steep price later
for failing to act. President Bush may be in denial about global warming, but New Jersey isn’t."
“We owe it to our children and grandchildren to think big
and tackle global warming head-on,” said Suzanne Leta Liou, Global Warming and
Clean Energy Advocate for Environment New Jersey, a statewide, nonprofit,
nonpartisan environmental advocacy organization. “By requiring
ground-breaking, science-based reductions of our global warming pollution, New Jersey is providing
a recipe for success for elected officials across the nation. We’re not
waiting another day. We’re setting the stage for immediate action and
long-lasting change."
“Because of its strong stand against global warming,
New Jersey will be a laboratory of innovation for environmental benefit – a
role that plays to its strength as one of the world’s leading centers for
technology-driven economic growth,” Ralph Izzo, Chairman, President and CEO of
Public Service Enterprise Group said. “PSEG is ready to do its part to help New Jersey respond to this
global issue. We look forward to partnering with Governor Corzine, his
administration and our customers to tackle climate change and achieve a greener
and healthier planet.”
