Credit: (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)After months of debate, a pair of climate bills won swift approval from a legislative committee on Thursday, two measures supporters say would help modernize the aging power grid and speed up New Jersey’s clean-energy transition.
In a meeting that lasted less than a half-hour, the Senate Environment and Energy Committee voted out the bills, while also approving a proposed amendment to that state Constitution that would enshrine the right to a clean and healthy environment.
The committee meeting, its fourth in the last two weeks, was unexpectedly announced Tuesday, the day after a four-hour-long hearing on two of the bills. The clean-energy bill narrowly cleared the committee Thursday with three Democratic votes, one by Sen. Raj Mukherji (D-Hudson) subbing for an absent Sen. John McKeon (D-Essex).
‘You are going to have a big job to convince the Legislature that this is the right thing to do,’ said Sen. Bob Smith (D-Middlesex), referring to the proposed constitutional amendment.
The other two measures are viewed as critical to advancing the Murphy administration’s goal of achieving 100% clean energy, a target the governor wants to attain by 2035 instead of mid-century. For many, that goal will not be reached unless the state funnels huge amounts of new investment into upgrading electric distribution systems, which deliver power to homes and businesses.
While the grid modernization bill has wide backing, however, the other measures remain contentious, a matter Sen. Bob Smith, the chairman, alluded to on conclusion of the votes.
Need to convince the Legislature?
“You are going to have a big job to convince the Legislature that this is the right thing to do,’’ said Smith (D-Middlesex), referring specifically to the constitutional amendment in a caution to advocates but one that also could be true for the clean-energy bill. Before it would go to voters, the Legislature would have to agree to the constitutional amendment this year in supermajority votes or approve it this year and again next year with simple majorities.
The clean-energy bill essentially codifies an executive order issued by Gov. Phil Murphy that ramps up the deadline for transitioning to clean energy, one he initially set as 2050. For the most part, clean-energy advocates support the bill, but it faces opposition from some of the biggest business groups, solar developers and some segments of the labor movement.
“We don’t believe in artificial deadlines,’’ said Ray Cantor of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association. “You don’t need a mandate to get there. What you need to do is fix the grid,’’ He and others argue the state will never achieve its clean-energy goals unless it addresses problems the current distribution system has accommodating new energy projects.
But Dave Pringle of Empower New Jersey argued the clean-energy bill released from the committee is significantly improved over the original version. Still, he conceded the bill has a long way to go before it becomes law.
Smith’s grid modernization bill would allocate $300 million in state funds to upgrading the system. New Jersey could then leverage that money to attract $200 million in federal aid from the Inflation Reduction Act, a 2021 law passed by Congress.
The legislation is far more than what the governor called for in his annual budget message, seeking to spend $40 million in state funds to attract $40 million in federal aid. “That’s not enough,’’ Smith said.
Last-minute changes
The two climate bills were amended by the committee, with the changes that were only made public late Wednesday evening. The changes dealing with the definition of clean energy apparently have muted opposition from environmental justice advocates.
“Overall, the concept of co-pollutants in a clean energy definition is essential,’’ said Maria Lopez-Nuñez of the Ironbound Community Corporation. Co-pollutants are air contaminants such as nitrous oxide and fine particulates or soot, and other pollution impacting overburdened communities.
In approving the so-called green amendment to the state Constitution, the committee advanced the bill for only the second time in the past eight years. The amendment, already approved in Pennsylvania, Montana and New York, is aimed at giving citizens the right to safe drinking water, clean air, and preserving the state’s natural resources.
