It’s been a busy week for the Governor, and energy and the environment are topping his agenda. Joined by First Lady Tammy Murphy, Gov. Phil Murphy has signed executive orders and instructed agencies to act this week that take several steps toward fulfilling his campaign promises.
On Monday, the Governor signed Executive Order 7, which ordered the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to take all necessary regulatory and administrative measures to ensure New Jersey’s timely return to full participation in RGGI. To this end, the DEP Commissioner and the BPU President are to lead New Jersey’s efforts to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and shall serve as the State of New Jersey’s appointees to the Board of Directors of the RGGI after New Jersey rejoins. For more information: http://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562018/approved/20180129a_eo.shtml
On Tuesday, the Governor announced New Jersey will withdraw from West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a case working its way through the federal courts in which certain states, including New Jersey, sued the federal government in an effort to undo President Obama’s Clean Power Plan (CPP) regulations.
Wednesday, the Governor signed Executive Order 8 which directs the BPU to fully implement the Offshore Wind Economic Development Act (OWEDA) and begin the process of moving the state toward a goal of 3,500 megawatts of offshore wind energy generation by the year 2030. For more information: http://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562018/approved/20180131a_eo.shtml
Thursday, the Governor sent a letter to Governor Wolf and the DRBC staff announcing that he will join the Governors of Pennsylvania, New York and Delaware in support of a ban on hydraulic fracturing – a process commonly called “fracking” – in the Delaware River Basin. In the letter the Governor stated that “New Jersey supports a ban on fracking and The Commission’s efforts to drive this policy through these draft regulations.” For more information: http://www.nj.gov/governor/news/news/562018/approved/20180201a_other.shtml
As you may be aware, Governor Murphy recognizes that climate change is a fact and an existential threat to our state. He believes his environmental agenda is an opportunity to build a clean energy economy with good-paying green jobs. Governor Murphy restored New Jersey’s participation in RGGI and is aiming to put New Jersey on a road to 100 percent clean energy by 2050. He will accelerate the development of renewable energy sources by promoting solar energy and jumpstarting the offshore wind industry. In addition, he will focus environmental efforts on low-income communities that are disproportionately impacted by pollution, and protect the quality of the air and water supply.
