Bill Text: NJ S3372 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes "Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling Task Force" to study ways to safely store, reuse, recycle, and dispose of used electric vehicle batteries.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-12-01 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee [S3372 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-S3372-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator LINDA R. GREENSTEIN
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Senator RICHARD J. CODEY
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes "Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling Task Force" to study ways to safely store, reuse, recycle, and dispose of used electric vehicle batteries.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing the "Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling Task Force."
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. There is established in the Department of Environmental Protection the "Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling Task Force." The task force shall study ways to store, collect, reuse, recycle, and properly dispose of used electric vehicle batteries using environmentally sound management practices. The task force shall, at a minimum:
(1) examine current data and research related to the storage, collection, reuse, recycling, and proper disposal of used electric vehicle batteries;
(2) analyze programs and policies implemented in other countries to store, collect, reuse, recycle, and properly dispose of used electric vehicle batteries including, but not limited to, countries with extended producer responsibility requirements;
(3) compile data on current recycling facilities within the State and region, including whether or not any of the facilities currently recycle electric vehicle batteries, or can be modified to accept electric vehicle batteries for recycling;
(4) develop a strategy for the development of recycling infrastructure to support the recycling of electric vehicle batteries;
(5) examine ways to improve the safety and cost-effectiveness of recycling electric vehicle batteries;
(6) examine ways to reuse used electric vehicle batteries for other second-life purposes after the used electric vehicle batteries are no longer able to power an electric vehicle;
(7) provide information and educational materials to the public, government, and industry about the importance of storing and recycling electric vehicle batteries safely; and
(8) develop recommendations including legislation, programs, and policies to improve the State's recycling of electric vehicle batteries.
b. The task force shall consist of 11 members as follows:
(1) the President of the Board of Public Utilities, who shall serve ex officio, or a designee;
(2) the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, who shall serve ex officio, or a designee;
(3) the Commissioner of Transportation, who shall serve ex officio, or a designee;
(4) the following public members, appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate:
(a) two members representing electric vehicle manufacturers;
(b) two members representing recycling facilities with expertise in the handling or recycling of electric vehicle batteries, if applicable;
(c) two members of the academic community with expertise in electric vehicle battery technology; and
(d) two members with environmental expertise.
c. The members of this task force shall be appointed within 30 days after the effective date of this act. The task force shall organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of the task force's members. The task force shall choose a chairperson from among its members and a secretary who need not be part of the task force. The presence of six members shall constitute a quorum.
d. The task force shall meet regularly as the task force determines or at the call of the chairperson. The task force shall hold at least three public hearings in different parts of the State and elicit testimony from the public at such times and places as the chairperson shall designate.
e. The members of the task force shall serve without compensation.
f. Any vacancies in the membership of the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
g. The Department of Environmental Protection shall provide stenographic, clerical, and other administrative assistance and professional staff as the task force requires to carry out the task force's work. The task force shall be entitled to call to the task force's assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as the task force may require and as may be available for the task force's purposes.
h. The task force shall report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 14 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature no later than two years following the initial organizational meeting of the task force.
i. As used in this section:
"Electric vehicle" means a vehicle that derives all or part of its power from electricity supplied by the electric grid, and that has a battery or equivalent energy storage device that can be charged from an electricity supply external to the vehicle with an electric plug. "Electric vehicle" includes a plug-in hybrid vehicle.
"Electric vehicle battery" means a rechargeable battery that is used to power the electric motor of an electric vehicle. "Electric vehicle battery" includes, but is not limited to, lithium-ion batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, and lead-acid batteries.
"Plug-in hybrid vehicle" means a vehicle that can be charged from a source of electricity external to the vehicle through an electric plug, but is not exclusively powered by electricity.
2. This act shall take
effect immediately and shall expire 30 days after the submission of task
force's report and recommendations pursuant to subsection h. of section 1 of
this act.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes in the Department of Environmental Protection the "Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling Task Force" to study ways to store, collect, reuse, recycle, and properly dispose of used electric vehicle batteries using environmentally sound management practices. The task force would be required to, at a minimum:
(1) examine current data and research related to the storage, collection, reuse, recycling, and proper disposal of used electric vehicle batteries;
(2) analyze programs and policies implemented in other countries to store, collect, reuse, recycle, and properly dispose of used electric vehicle batteries including, but not limited to, countries with extended producer responsibility requirements;
(3) compile data on current recycling facilities within the State and region, including whether or not any of the facilities currently recycle electric vehicle batteries, or can be modified to accept electric vehicle batteries for recycling;
(4) develop a strategy for the development of recycling infrastructure to support the recycling of electric vehicle batteries;
(5) examine ways to improve the safety and cost-effectiveness of recycling electric vehicle batteries;
(6) examine ways to reuse used electric vehicle batteries for other second-life purposes after the used electric vehicle batteries are no longer able to power an electric vehicle;
(7) provide information and educational materials to the public, government, and industry about the importance of storing and recycling electric vehicle batteries safely; and
(8) develop recommendations including legislation, programs, and policies to improve the State's recycling of electric vehicle batteries.
The task force would consist of 11 members, including, the President of the Board of Public Utilities, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, the Commissioner of Transportation, and eight public members to be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate. Of the eight public members: two members would represent electric vehicle manufacturers; two members would represent recycling facilities, with expertise in the handling or recycling of electric vehicle batteries if applicable; two members would be from the academic community with expertise in electric vehicle battery technology; and two members would have environmental expertise. The members of the task force are to be appointed, and the task force is to organize, no later than 30 days after the effective date of the bill.
The bill provides that vacancies in task force membership would be filled in the same manner as the original appointments. The members of the task force would serve without compensation. The bill directs the Department of Environmental Protection to provide professional and clerical staff to the task force as necessary.
No later than two years after the organization of the task force, the task force is to submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature concerning the task force's findings and recommendations.
Millions of electric vehicles have been sold in the United States during recent years. This recent increase in electric vehicle use, while positive for the fight against climate change, has presented new environmental challenges, such as where and how to properly dispose of used electric vehicle batteries. Consumers of electric vehicles and residents of this State do not have ready access to an efficient, environmentally sound, and cost-effective collection method for the recycling or disposal of used electric vehicle batteries.
In addition, lithium-ion electric vehicle batteries, which are the most commonly used electric vehicle batteries today, contain toxic chemicals that should not be placed into landfills, since they could be hazardous, cause pollution, contaminate nearby soil and water, and potentially explode if mishandled. Many used electric vehicle batteries also still retain up to 70 percent of their battery capacity when they are no longer able to power a vehicle effectively. For this reason, it is cost-effective for these used electric vehicle batteries to be reused for alternate purposes, such as home energy storage, power for streetlights, power to back-up elevators, and solar energy storage, until they are fully expired of their battery life prior to recycling or disposal.
In 2019, Chinese chemical companies accounted for 80 percent of the world's total output of raw materials for advanced batteries. China, a country with a dubious human rights and environmental record, controls the processing of almost all of the critical minerals, including lithium, cobalt, and graphite.
As the use of electric vehicles continue to rise, it is increasingly important to study ways to maximize the efficiency and longevity of electric vehicle batteries and develop safe, cost-effective, and environmentally sound ways to recycle and dispose of used electric vehicle batteries at end-of-life.
