Clean Water Action released the following statement in response to the Governor signing S3207 (Smith/Vainieri Huttle), which amends the 2007 Global Warming Response Act, today.
"A year and a half into the Murphy Administration, much more remains unfinished rather than completed. On the economy, environmental justice, pubic health and the climate crisis, the importance of the final Energy Master Plan (EMP) cannot be underestimated.
As Wednesday's first hearing on the draft EMP overwhelming demonstrated, the draft has real promise but lots of potential huge loopholes. The final plan must close those loopholes and front load solutions by 2030 with annual, meaningful, enforceable targets to avert the climate crisis, protect private property and public health, prevent future climate and pollution harms in marginalized communities of color and low income residents, as well as promote good jobs and a green economy.
The Administration has asked for faith, patience and constructive feedback over the next 6 months. In the meantime, the Administration will be making 4 decisions today and in the next couple weeks that will dictate how warranted all of that is. Those decisions include whether or not to:
1) Direct DEP to implement the agreement we negotiated with the Governor's office in May with support from NJDEP and the prime sponsors of S3207 to:
a) restore regulating black carbon as a short-lived climate pollutant
b) require greenhouse gas emission reduction targets every 5 years to ensure steady progress to meet the 80% reduction mandate by 2050
c) prioritize these reductions in communities overburdened with pollution and most impacted by climate change and
d) adopt these rules in 12 not 18 months
2) Veto/CV food waste bill (S1206), as burning and burying is not recycling, is not clean energy and exacerbates the climate crisis
3) Direct DEP to begin the process to regulate greenhouse gases now rather than waiting 6 months to begin a study, which is all the draft EMP calls for
4) Announce more draft EMP hearing dates and locations"
