Recently, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (“NJEDA”) announced the launch of the new Brownfields Impact Fund, a new program offering loans and sub-grants to eligible applicants across New Jersey to promote remediation of contaminated sites.
After determining that a facility is subject to the Environmental Justice Law, N.J.S.A. 13:1D-157, et seq., a facility must comply with the provisions of the Environmental Justice Law before the Department of Environmental Protection ("DEP") will complete the review process for an application for a new permit for a facility; an application for the expansion of a facility; or a renewal application for a major source permit.
In 2020, Governor Murphy signed New Jersey’s landmark Environmental Justice Law, N.J.S.A. 13:1D-157, et seq., which requires the Department of Environmental Protection ("DEP") to consider whether certain facilities seeking specific types of permits will contribute to existing environmental and public health stressors in overburdened communities.
On November 10, 2021, Governor Murphy signed Executive Order 274, which sets a new near-term target for the reduction of New Jersey’s greenhouse gas emissions to 50% below 2006 levels by the year 2030. Previously, pursuant to the Global Warming Response Act, N.J.S.A. 26:2C-37, New Jersey sought a statewide reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to 80% below 2006 levels by the year 2050.
On October 20, 2021, Governor Murphy announced a proposal to inject the Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Green Acres Program with over $100 million.
On February 20, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) announced its proposal of a preliminary determination to regulate two contaminants - perflouorooctanoic acid (“PFOA”) and perflourooctane sulfonate (“PFOS”) – from the polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) family of chemicals.
On May 3, 2018, Governor Phil Murphy signed the State Zero-Emission Vehicle Programs Memorandum of Understanding, under which ten signatory states have pledged to advance the use of zero-emission vehicles within their borders.
Late last year, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) launched the “Guard Your Backyard” campaign, aimed at giving municipalities more control over the fill material imported into communities in an effort to reduce contamination.
The New Jersey legislature is getting serious about electric vehicles. On November 6, 2019, it passed S-606 (formerly A-1371) encouraging municipalities to begin planning for expanded electric vehicle ("EV") infrastructure across the state.
The unauthorized use of “dirty dirt” as fill in sites across New Jersey has long been an issue facing municipalities. In October 2019, DEP launched the "Guard Your Backyard" initiative specifically aimed at curbing the dumping of tainted fill in New Jersey communities.