Bill Text: NJ S1199 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Revises 2050 limit on Statewide greenhouse gas emissions.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-02-03 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee [S1199 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-S1199-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JOSEPH P. CRYAN
District 20 (Union)
SYNOPSIS
Revises 2050 limit on Statewide greenhouse gas emissions.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning Statewide greenhouse gas emissions and amending P.L.2007, c.112.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 2 of P.L.2007, c.112 (C.26:2C-38) is amended to read as follows:
2. The Legislature finds and declares that internationally the issue of global warming has caused alarm, awareness, and action concerning climate changes occurring around the globe attributed to the high level of certain gases called "greenhouse gases" - gases that increase temperatures in the atmosphere and the risk of catastrophic changes to the Earth's ecosystems and environment; that, while this global warming may be a theory to some, the effects of increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are accepted by many respected scientists and members of the international community as seriously detrimental to the ecosystems and environment of the world; that, ultimately, if steps are not taken to reverse these trends, the effects on human, animal and plant life on Earth may be catastrophic; that solutions exist to halt the increasing of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and reduce these emissions; that, as a global issue, each country and region within a country must do its part to reduce these greenhouse gases that threaten the globe; and that, as a State, there are specific actions that can be taken to attack the problem of global warming, through reductions of greenhouse gas emissions in the State and participation in regional and interstate initiatives to reduce these emissions regionally, nationally, and internationally.
The Legislature therefore finds and declares that it is in the public interest to establish a greenhouse gas emissions reduction program to limit the level of Statewide greenhouse gas emissions, and greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generated outside the State but consumed in the State, to the 1990 level or below, of those emissions by the year 2020, and to reduce those emissions to [80% below the 2006 level] , or below, 13 million metric tons by the year 2050.
(cf: P.L.2007, c.112, s.2)
2. Section 3 of P.L.2007, c.112 (C.26:2C-39) is amended to read as follows:
3. For the purposes of this act:
"Department" means the Department of Environmental Protection.
"Greenhouse gas"
means carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide,
hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, and any other gas or substance determined by the Department of Environmental Protection to be a significant contributor to the problem of global warming.
"Statewide greenhouse gas emissions" means the sum of calendar year emissions of greenhouse gases from all sources within the State, and from electricity generated outside the State but consumed in the State, as determined by the department pursuant to subsection c. of section 5 of this act.
"2020 limit" means the level of greenhouse gas emissions equal to the 1990 level of Statewide greenhouse gas emissions.
"2050 limit" means the level of greenhouse gas emissions equal to [80 percent less than the 2006 level of Statewide greenhouse gas emissions] , or below, 13 million metric tons .
(cf: P.L.2007, c.112, s.3)
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
Under the "Global Warming Response Act," P.L. 2007, c.112 (C.26:2C-37 et seq.) the Legislature declared that internationally the issue of global warming has caused alarm, awareness, and action concerning climate changes occurring around the globe attributed to the high level of certain gases called "greenhouse gases" - gases that increase temperatures in the atmosphere and the risk of catastrophic changes to the Earth's ecosystems and environment.
Currently, under the Global Warming Response Act, the State's greenhouse gas emissions reduction program is required to limit the level of Statewide greenhouse gas emissions, and greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generated outside the State but consumed in the State, to the 1990 level or below, by the year 2020, which is 123 million metric tons (MMT) CO2 equivalent and to further reduce those emissions to 80% below the 2006 level by the year 2050, which is 26 MMT CO2 equivalent. New Jersey reached the 2020 reduction goal or "2020 limit" in 2012, eight years ahead of schedule. For New Jersey to achieve the 2050 limit, deep emission reductions from energy-related greenhouse gas emissions are necessary.
This bill would require the State to further limit the level of Statewide greenhouse gas emissions, and greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generated outside the State but consumed in the State, to 13 million metric tons CO2 equivalent by 2050.
