MCKEON: 2009 - A YEAR OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES AND CHANGE

MCKEON: 2009 - A YEAR OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES AND CHANGE
 
Assemblyman John F. McKeon said today that in 2009, the environment will continue to play a central role in the economy, in public policy and in the way we use energy. 
 
McKeon (D-Essex), who serves as chair of the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee, issued the following statement:

"2008 was a tipping point for the environment in terms of its global impact and importance, and New Jersey was at the forefront of this push.

"The Energy Master Plan, the landmark Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the first offshore wind farm on the East Coast, a record $105 million in funding for solar panels on homes, businesses and municipal buildings - all came to be in 2008. So did the historic Recycling Enhancement Act that replenished funding for recycling in New Jersey and a record $8 million in recycling grants for municipalities.
 
"I see the environment continuing to have a central role in 2009 in defining public policy, generation of green jobs, and how we use energy. The commitment to the environment is clear at the federal and state level. In New Jersey, we anticipate an increased push for the environment with the implementation of the Corzine administration's Energy Master Plan. At the federal level, we can expect a strong effort on climate change and greenhouse gases under the leadership of President Barack Obama and his energy and environment team.
 
"Obama's pick to head the country's Energy Department - Nobel laureate physicist Stephen Chu - has long advocated for research on global warming and supports the use of solar, biofuels and other renewable energies. New Jersey's Lisa Jackson, who will head the Environmental Protection Agency, was the chief proponent of the state's landmark Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, an innovative cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gases.
 
"In 2009, I expect to see the evolution of a viable energy economy powered by wind, solar, and other renewable energies that will generate millions of green jobs.  I also expect more pro-environment legislation and initiatives at the state level, as well as changes in the way Americans use energy.
 
"We will build upon the accomplishments of 2008, which was a record year for the environment in the New Jersey Legislature. In 2008, I turned on the heat for solar energy, provided compelling testimony for wind as a viable renewable energy source, and called for energy independence. I also supported the Corzine administration's Energy Master Plan that calls for 20 percent of the state's energy to be drawn from renewable sources by 2020.
 
"At public hearings, press conferences, in community and media outreach, testimony to the Board of Public Utilities and Assembly and Senate committees, I was a fierce champion of the environment. I also advocated for Lisa Jackson to become the country's top environmental officer in a letter to President-elect Barack Obama and in interviews with news media.  Lisa and I worked closely during her tenure as commissioner of the New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection, and I look forward to her leadership on the federal level.

"I am proud to be the sponsor of several pro-environment bills that became law last year, including the historic Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) that authorized New Jersey to participate in a ten-state compact to reduce carbon emissions through an innovative cap-and-trade program.
 
"RGGI sets a mandatory cap on emissions of carbon dioxide - a greenhouse gas - from power plants - starting in 2009. It lowers emissions in increments of 10 percent by 2019. The initiative also sets up a market-based emissions trading system where power plant owners and operators can purchase credits or allowances for every ton of carbon dioxide that they emit. Per RGGI - the more you pollute, the more you pay.
 
"In December, New Jersey reportedly generated over $15 million from power companies and other bidders through its participation in a regional auction designed to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Funds raised from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative go into a "Global Warming Solutions Fund" to be invested in programs and technology that reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
 
"In October, the first off-shore wind project on the East Coast got the go-ahead from state regulators. Estimated to cost more than $1 billion, the wind farm provides for the installation of 96 turbines located 16 and 20 miles off the coast of Cape May and Atlantic counties. When completed in 2013, the 345 megawatt offshore wind facility is expected to generate more than one percent of the state's electricity needs and power approximately 125,000 homes annually.
 
"The Board of Public Utilities (BPU) selected Garden State Offshore Energy from various entities bidding for the project, awarding the entity a $4 million grant for the development of wind power. Garden State Offshore Energy is a joint venture between PSE&G Renewable Generation, a subsidiary of PSE&G Global and Deepwater Wind.
 
"In April, the BPU gave PSE&G the thumbs-up to begin offering $105 million in solar loans to finance the installation of solar systems on homes, businesses and municipal buildings throughout its service area.
 
"In 2008, two measures I sponsored were signed into law.  These were: 
 
  · The landmark Recycling Enhancement Act - reestablishes a source of funding for recycling in New Jersey through a $3 per ton tax on solid waste accepted for disposal or transfer at in-state solid waste facilities. The measure reauthorized the state's Recycling Fund that sunset in 1996. The measure provides a record   $8 million in grants to bolster local recycling efforts by municipalities and counties, including Essex.
 
  · The Electronic Waste Recycling Act - engages manufacturers in the funding and expansion of "e-waste" disposal programs. The law  generated great support from residents of Essex County.  Also known as "E-waste" legislation, the measure made New Jersey one of the first states-in-the-nation to require safe disposal of electronic devices such as television sets and their components that contain toxic metals that leach into the soil and contaminate water when discarded in landfills.
 
"Other new laws require the Department of Environmental Protection to conduct a public hearing at the conclusion of feasibility studies for shore protection projects, mandate public purchasing agents complete a course in "green product" purchasing and established the "New Jersey Coastal and Ocean Protection Council" to research and recommend strategies for protecting our state's coastal and ocean resources.
 
"I also sponsored new laws to provide business and consumers with attractive incentives to invest in renewable and alternative energy. These measures will:
 
 - protect homeowners from paying higher property taxes after investing in improvements such as solar panels and wind turbines that may drive up the value    of their homes. The law exempts homeowners from real property taxation for investment in renewable energy systems such as wind and solar.

 - provide greater incentives for business and industrial sites to invest in alternative energy sources. The measure allows home and business owners, who utilize renewable sources, to sell power that they produce in excess of their energy needs back to the power companies.

"One of the important new laws I was proud to put my name on set a moratorium on the harvesting of horseshoe crabs to protect the endangered red knot shorebird from extinction. The Delaware Bay shores in New Jersey are the one main stop for the red knots in their 10,000 mile trip from Southern Chile to the Arctic. The red knots rely on a superabundance of the energy-rich horseshoe crab eggs to nearly double their body weight in less than two weeks before flying non-stop to their breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic.
 
"In 2009, I plan to push for a pro-business measure to help stimulate the economy by expediting the permitting and licensing process and creating jobs. The measure (A-2962) would allow the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP) to establish "Licensed Site Professionals" in the State of New Jersey. By licensing environmental engineers to certify the completion of projects, the DEP would reduce its extensive backlog of an estimated 15,000 site remediation cases, expedite the permitting and licensing process and reduce the time businesses have to wait for project approvals. It would also allow the DEP to focus on the most hazardous sites that pose the greatest risk to public health and safety.
 
"I also plan to identify a permanent source of funding for the acquisition of Open Space. For the first time in ten years, the Garden State Preservation Trust, which funds the purchase of Open Space, will run out of money by July 2009. 
 
"In conclusion, in 2009, the environment will impact - at unprecedented levels - the economy, public policy and the way we use energy. At this critical time in history, I welcome the challenge and look forward to supporting federal and state leadership and working with my fellow lawmakers to help preserve, protect and enhance our valuable and precious environment. ''

Contact:

Assemblyman John F. McKeon
(973) 275-1113
Gita Bajaj
(973) 224-4851 Cellular
 
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