Global Warming Response Act Bill Passes Senate Enviro Committee

The Senate Energy and Environment committed released S3207 (Smith). The bill establishes new timeframes for implementation of certain requirements in “Global Warming Response Act”; requires DEP to adopt strategy to reduce short-lived climate pollutants. Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club released the following statement:
“We are entering into a climate emergency and it is getting even worse. It is even more important to reduce greenhouse gases as quickly as we can. The new U.S climate report written by 13 federal agencies and hundreds of scientists show that climate change is getting worse and happening faster. The DEP has the authority to regulate greenhouses but chose not to. That is why it is critical for this legislation to move forward compelling the DEP to actually set standards for reduction for C02 emissions and greenhouse gases.
“This legislation is a good start however we need to go further. We need to give DEP some teeth to regulate C02 and GHG emissions. We believe the bill should require the DEP to regulate natural gas powerplants and set standards to C02 and other emissions. As we move forward on our 100% clean energy goals by 2020, we should be ratcheting down on fossil fuels until we get to 0 emissions. DEP also should be modeling and making regulations on fugitive emissions for GHGs. The department should require a tonnage fee on air permits too.
“All air permits and Title V permits should have strict emissions and set standards for C02 and other greenhouse gases. All permit applications should have information about C02 emissions and should require to get permits that would limit C02 emissions. The legislation also needs to look at reducing emissions holistically looking at fugitive emissions and cradle to grave emissions. All major facilities should also have state of the art control analysis and permitting for C02 emissions just like there are for other sources. We should also be regulating C02 for infrastructure, not just powerplants. In New Jersey there are 5 natural gas power plants and 7 new natural gas projects underway that could emit millions of metric tons of greenhouse gases into our air.
“We should make sure c02 is regulated under Title V air permit and there be enforceable reductions in those emissions. There should also be a timetable to phase out fossil fuel power generation. Under RGGI, NJ is supposed to be reducing C02 emissions. RGGI calls for a Cap on 13 tons of C02- New Jersey is currently at 18 and these new natural gas powerplants will put us at 23 tons,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.