NJ Must Cap Carbon and Regulate Greenhouse Gasses

Today the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee released A4417 (Speight) unanimously. The bill revises 2050 limit on Statewide greenhouse gas emissions. under the legislation, in-state GHG emissions from electricity generation is gapped to the 1990 Carbon level by 2020, which is roughly 123 million metric tons. By 2050, the cap will be at 13 million metric tons. For out-of-state GHG fugitive emissions, the 2050 cap on carbon will be set at 13 million tons.

“It’s important to have a measurable cap on greenhouse gasses so we know the exact tonnage we need to reduce. This will help us determine how and what we need to regulate and what the limits should be. However, without rules and standards in place, this cap will be meaningless. That’s why the DEP needs to follow through and do their job. Once we pass this bill, we need the DEP to do its job and regulate carbon emissions under the cap. A cap on greenhouse gas emissions is an important way to fight climate change and air pollution but we must enforce it to make it happen,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “New Jersey’s greenhouse gas emissions have risen from 3-5% in the last year. That’s why it’s so important for us to start seriously regulating our output.”

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection determines, based on the evidence outlined herein, that regulating carbon dioxide (CO2) as an air contaminant is in the best interest of human health, welfare, and the environment. This statement shall fulfill the Department’s requirement to advise the public of its determination and justification for this determination, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 26:2C-9.2i. Increases in average temperature and related extreme heat events will increase the formation of ground-level ozone and further undermine the State’s attempts to meet national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for NOx, with attendant increases in adverse human health and environmental impacts, as well as State compliance costs.

“New Jersey already has the power to regulate carbon dioxide but we haven’t done anything about it. Maybe this bill will force them to do it. Meanwhile, the Murphy Administration has watched as more and more dirty infrastructure projects try to infiltrate our state. New Jersey has the authority to do to deny Title V permits for Natural Gas Power Plants. The BPU also has the authority to regulate GHG’s and deny projects that increase GHG’s. Even the Global Warming Response Act calls for a 80% reduction in greenhouse gases from baseline year 2006 by 2050,” said Tittel. “We’re still waiting for the RGGI rules to be completed as well. 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.”

In New Jersey there are 5 proposals for new natural gas power plants. Meadowland Powerplant (2.3 million metric tons of C02), Musconetcong Power Plant (1.4 million metric tons), Keasbey- Woodbridge Power Plant( 1.3 million metric tons), Sewaren 7 Power Plant(1.1 million metric tons) and the BL England Power Plant (900,000 metric tons). Air pollution can cause asthma attacks and put people with heart problems, lung problems or children at risk.

“The proposed powerplants in New Jersey will emit over 5 million metric tons of greenhouses gases into our air. More power plants will not only pollute our air and water and seriously undermine our efforts to reach our renewable energy goals by 2050. This is why it is so important that Governor Murphy puts a moratorium on new power plants. If these power plants are built, we will never be able to have a real cap on greenhouse gasses because their combined emissions will blow right through any goals,” said Tittel.

Air pollution not only has significant health impacts, but it is an irritant for people at risk it. This can actually cause asthma attacks sending people to the hospital. It is also linked to premature death through heart attacks. This air pollution not only affects our lungs, but can make its way into our water sources primarily through atmospheric deposition.

“More carbon emission means more public health problems. We are already seeing more and earlier bad ozone days making it harder for people to breathe. Almost every county in our state that conducts monitoring has a failing grade for ozone,” said Jeff Tittel.

Other states are working towards cleaner energy as the Trump Administration is dismantling clean air protections like Clean Power Plan and CAFÉ standards for automobiles. Massachusetts’s rule requires power plants within the state to reduce their greenhouse gas emission levels by 7 % by 2020 and 80% by 2050. California lawmakers voted to require that state’s utilities to use 100 percent carbon-free power by 2050. Hawaii has a similar requirement. Other states have increased their renewable portfolio standards for clean energy.

“We also need these carbon limits to prevent building more natural gas infrastructure that would impede us reaching Governor Murphy’s 100% clean energy goals by 2050. Instead we need Murphy to put moratorium on new power plants and a cap on existing ones. If we want to get to 100% green energy by 2050 we need to focus on renewable energy such as solar and wind. We must promote clean energy and block dirty fossil fuels from continuing to infiltrate our state,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “New Jersey has the authority to regulate greenhouse gases since 2005 but they chose not to. Now with the new natural gas power plants and climate crisis it becomes even more urgent.  The Trump Administration is creating industry- friendly policies while playing Russian roulette with our health and it is important that we step up and create realistic, measurable, and enforceable standards on GHG.”