TRENTON – Saying it was time for “New Jersey to take the lead in reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” Senator Barbara Buono welcomed Senate Environmental Committee approval today of S-2114, the “Global Warming Response Act.”
“Scientific evidence keeps mounting that the threat from global warming is real and significant,” said Senator Buono, D-Middlesex. “We’re at a point where we need to take the steps necessary to reverse those trends – to embrace more efficient technologies and change our daily habits – so that our children and grandchildren do have to live with the consequences of our irresponsible decisions.”
BUONO BILL TO STEM GLOBAL WARMING THROUGH COMMITTEE
TRENTON – Saying it was time for “New Jersey to take the lead in reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” Senator Barbara Buono welcomed Senate Environmental Committee approval today of S-2114, the “Global Warming Response Act.”
“Scientific evidence keeps mounting that the threat from global warming is real and significant,” said Senator Buono, D-Middlesex. “We’re at a point where we need to take the steps necessary to reverse those trends – to embrace more efficient technologies and change our daily habits – so that our children and grandchildren do have to live with the consequences of our irresponsible decisions.”
Senator Buono noted that most leading climatologists agree that significant reductions in green house gas emissions in the near future would begin to reverse global warming trends. The bill, S-2214, would require that NJ reduce greenhouse gas emissions to at or below 1990 levels by the year 2020. Furthermore, emissions would be required to be 80% below 2006 levels by the year 2050.
“These are ambitious goals, to be sure, but they are obtainable and critically important. The U.S. has 5% of the world’s population, yet we produce 25% of the world’s greenhouse gases. We have a moral responsibility to the entire world to enact measures to reduce our emissions,” added Senator Buono.
In order to accomplish the goals in the bill, the Department of Environmental protection would be required to inventory greenhouse gas emissions within the State at the current, 2006 and 1990 levels.
Additionally, the Department would establish a monitoring program by 2009 that would identify all significant sources of greenhouse gases in New Jersey and report the changes in annual emissions with notes on the progress towards the 2020 and 2050 goals.
“These changes take time, making it essential that we start today. 2050 may seem like it’s a long time off, but it will be here in the blink of an eye and we must ensure that progress is being made every day towards our goals,” explained Senator Buono.
Senator Buono noted that automobiles and public utilities are the biggest sources of greenhouse gases and that DEP efforts will focus on those areas.
The bill would require the DEP, the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and other state agencies to make recommendations to the Legislature no later than June 30, 2008 for reaching the 2020 goals and no later than June 20, 2010 for reaching the 2050 goals. The BPU would also be authorized to adopt electric and gas energy efficiency portfolio standards that would require public utilities to reduce utility usage by 20% by the year 2020.
“The Bush administration has failed to enact a national program to reduce greenhouse gases and curb the advancement of global warming. It’s clear that the states must act individually and together implement these policies and lead the United States to join the rest of the world in combating global warming,” explained Senator Buono.
The bill passed the Committee by a vote of 4-0. It now goes to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee before heading to the full Senate for final approval
