New Jersey
POSTPONED:
New Jersey Energy Master Plan Public Hearings:
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) has rescheduled three public hearings concerning the 2011 New Jersey Energy Master Plan and changed some locations since we reported the schedule in our last issue. The hearings will be held on the afternoons of May 20 (New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark); May 25 (Stockton College, Pomona); and June 1 (State House, Trenton). (The hearings had been scheduled for March 29, April 7 and April 13.) Gov. Christie has tasked the BPU with revisiting the 2008 Energy Master Plan in light of current economic conditions to ensure a balance between increasing challenges in meeting current and future energy needs in New Jersey.
New Hearing Notice
New Jersey Energy Master Plan Website
2nd Reading in New Jersey Senate on Concurrence With Governor's Recommendation, 3/21/2011:
S-2126: Would require the Pinelands Commission to adopt regulations providing for development of solar or photovoltaic energy facilities within the Pinelands on the site of a landfill or closed resource extraction operation, provided the development is consistent with the Pinelands Comprehensive Management Plan.
Would also permit solar or photovoltaic energy facilities on landfills and closed resource extraction operations statewide as a permitted use under the Municipal Land Use Law, and permit the development of wind energy facilities on landfills and closed resource extraction facilities as a permitted use in all municipalities outside of the Pinelands area.
The Bill had previously passed both houses of the Legislature but was conditionally vetoed on March 3. Gov. Christie's Conditional Veto recommended "technical changes," adopted by the Senate, removing limitations based upon whether the landfill or resource extraction operation is active or closed, and limiting solar projects on landfills and resource extraction sites within the Pinelands area to previously disturbed lands.
Text of Bill
Introduced in New Jersey Assembly and Referred to Telecommunications and Utilities Committee, 3/7/2011:
A-3893: Establishes uniform real property taxation for commercial renewable energy systems and eliminates municipal construction permit fees for non-commercial renewable energy systems.
Text of Bill
