Weak Global Warming Response Act Bill Released from Committee

Today the Senate Budget and Appropriations released bill S3207 (Smith) 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 in a climate crisis and this bill does not do anything to reduce our C02 and GHG emissions. This is a weak bill that needs to be strengthened. The DEP has the authority to regulate greenhouses since 2005 but chose not to. That is why this bill needs to be strengthened to require DEP to set standards and regulate C02 like any other air pollutant from mobile sources, stationary sources, and fugitive emissions.

“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 include measures to reduce emissions holistically by looking at fugitive 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.

“The legislation should require the DEP to regulate greenhouse gases from all sources, just like we do for NOx and SOx. The bill should also require DEP to be modeling and making regulations on fugitive emissions for GHGs. The department should require a tonnage fee on some air permits too. As we move forward on our 100% renewable goals by 2050, we should be ratcheting down on fossil fuels until we get to 0 emissions.

“We should make sure C02 is regulated under Title V air permit and instill enforceable reductions in those emissions. There should also be a timetable to phase out fossil fuel power generation. RGGI puts a regional cap on air pollutants but does not regulate them. Additional GHG’s from pipelines and powerplants will make RGGI almost meaningless.

“If we don’t regulate our GHG’s, then we will never reach our goals under the Global Warming Response Act or meet Governor Murphy’s 100% renewable goals. Therefore, it is critical for this legislation to make the proper amendments to compel the DEP to actually set standards for reductions for C02 emissions and greenhouse gases, otherwise we do not support this bill. On the day that Congress introduces the Green New Deal, the New Jersey legislature releases the No Big Deal bill.