ASSEMBLY SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

[Second Reprint]

SENATE, No. 3667

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 9, 2021

      The Assembly Science Innovation and Technology Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 3667 (2R).

      This bill, as amended by the committee, would codify in law certain State energy goals advanced for the years 2025 to 2035 in the 2019 New Jersey Energy Master Plan, prepared pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1977, c.146 (C.52:27F-14), and the “Global Warming Response Act 80x50 Report,” which was published in October 2020 pursuant to the “Global Warming Response Act,” P.L.2007, c.112 (C.26:2C-37 et al.).  The bill would also direct the Board of Public Utilities (BPU), Department of the Treasury, New Jersey Transit Corporation, Department of Community Affairs, Department of Transportation, and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to review current rules and regulations and notify the Legislature of any instances in which the existing statutory authority is insufficient to achieve the goals.  In addition, the bill would require the BPU to submit an annual report to the Legislature on the State's progress in meeting the goals.  Lastly, the bill would require the Energy Master Plan Committee to ensure that the New Jersey Energy Master Plan, beginning with the first update of the plan after the date of enactment of the bill into law, conforms to, or exceeds, the goals set forth in the bill, unless an alternative set of goals has been found, through the energy master plan development, to result in more rapid reduction of Statewide greenhouse gas emissions and deeper decarbonization at a comparable or lower cost.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

      The committee amendments to the bill would:

      (1) provide that the State goals in the bill are also established pursuant to the Department of Environmental Protection’s “Global Warming Response Act 80x50 Report,” which was published in October 2020 pursuant to the “Global Warming Response Act,” P.L.2007, c.112 (C.26:2C-37 et al.);

      (2) establish as a goal that, by 2035, 100 percent of light-duty vehicles sold in the State would be electric vehicles;

      (3) add a goal to the bill that, by December 31, 2025, 25 percent of State-owned non-emergency light-duty vehicles would be electric vehicles, and by 2035, 100 percent of State-owned non-emergency light-duty vehicles would be electric vehicles pursuant to section 3 of P.L.2019, c. 362 (C.48:25-3);

      (4) establish as a goal that sufficient charging infrastructure would be installed to ensure the bill’s goals can be met;

      (5) clarify that the bill’s goal of adopting a clean energy standard is for the generation of electricity;

      (6) delete a goal related to the issuance of renewable energy certificates and insert a goal that the State would provide that the value of any renewable energy certificates or clean energy-related certificates retired in compliance with State law reflects the environmental benefits of the energy produced;

      (7) specify that the offshore wind energy goals established in the bill apply to power consumed by New Jersey consumers, rather than energy produced in the State;

      (8) specify that the bill’s goals of providing for the installation of energy storage systems would require the energy storage systems to store electricity to provide four hours of continuous discharge at their rated capacity;

      (9) add language to ensure that any future energy master plan conforms to, or exceeds, the goals in the bill, unless an alternative set of goals is determined, during the energy master plan development, to result in more rapid reduction of Statewide greenhouse gas emissions and deeper decarbonization at a comparable or lower cost; and

      (10) make a technical correction to the bill.