Enviro Bills Releases from Committee: Recycling, Sustainability, etc.

The following bills were released from the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee on Thursday, October 18^th:

Statehouse Sustainability A4007 (Pinkin) requires an environmental sustainability plan for State House Complex. The plan would encourage water and energy conservation, green building technology, and carbon pollution reductions.  This plan would improve the environment while saving taxpayer money.

“We’re spending $300 million on fixing the Statehouse so we should be making it as green as possible. This bill is a step in the right direction to save us money and energy in the long-run. However, many of these programs for green building and blue roofs should be required as part of building codes in governmental expenditures, not offered as suggestions.  We have not updated our building codes in more than seven years.  The administration and Legislature have robbed the Clean Energy Fund which could help pay for a lot of this work to balance the budget,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.

Solar Recycling S601 (Smith)/A4011 (Pinkin) requires end-of-life recycling of solar and photovoltaic energy generation facilities and structures.

“Some of the earliest solar panels have reached maturity and more will retiring each year. We need to be sure we’re properly recycling these panels so they don’t end up in landfills. New Jersey can be a leader nationally in solar like we used to be. We need to pass legislation that encourages homeowners and businesses to invest in solar power. This will help deal with climate change while growing our economy. Since the solar program went into effect about 10 years ago, solar has become 29 percent more efficient and gone down in price by 25 percent. There are five times as many jobs in the solar sector than there is in the coal industry. Improving solar energy in the state would make our environment cleaner, fight climate change, and increase green jobs,” said Jeff Tittel.

This bill was for discussion only:

Mold in Schools A3108 (Benson) requires evaluation for, and abatement of, mold hazards in school buildings. At least once every five years, school districts must inspect and evaluate the interior of each public, private, and charter school building under their supervision for the presence of mold.

“It’s important to make sure our children have a safe place to learn. This includes keeping them safe from mold and the health impacts, especially to their lungs, that come with being exposed to it,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.

The committee is also receiving testimony concerning offshore wind as a renewable energy source and the economic and environmental benefits offshore wind can provide to the State.