This bill requires New Jersey electric and gas public utilities to reduce customer energy use by specific annual targets: 2% for electricity and 0.75% for natural gas, within five years of implementing efficiency programs. It mandates the Board of Public Utilities to establish performance metrics and review targets every three years, considering factors like weather, economic conditions, and new technologies like electric vehicles. Utilities must design programs with a benefit-to-cost ratio of at least 1.0, using existing efficiency measures and building codes to meet these goals. The bill directly affects all electric and gas utilities serving New Jersey customers, shifting focus from revenue incentives to measurable energy reduction outcomes.
This bill removes restrictions that previously prevented manufacturers from selling zero-emission light-duty trucks directly to consumers. It amends New Jersey's motor vehicle franchise law (P.L.1999, c.45) to eliminate a provision barring manufacturers from owning or operating retail facilities for warranty service on zero-emission vehicles. The key change allows manufacturers to sell these specific vehicles directly to customers without requiring dealership intermediaries, affecting both manufacturers (like Tesla) and consumers purchasing zero-emission trucks. This is a direct policy change to update franchise rules for new vehicle technology, not a broader sales reform.
This bill (A 3610) creates a new Department of Energy within New Jersey's Executive Branch to coordinate state energy policy. It establishes a Commissioner of Energy (appointed by the Governor) to lead the department, which will unify energy-related functions across state agencies and support the Board of Public Utilities. Key responsibilities include advancing clean energy and electric vehicle programs, helping agencies meet energy and emissions goals, and developing plans for energy crises. The department directly affects state agencies, utility regulators, and New Jersey residents/businesses through its role in shaping energy policy and programs.
The Green Building Tax Credit Act provides tax credits to New Jersey businesses and property owners who construct or retrofit buildings meeting specific green building standards. The credit equals 4% of eligible construction costs plus an additional 0.5% to 2.0% based on the building’s LEED certification level (Certified to Platinum), with costs capped at $280 per square foot. Eligible expenses include construction, design, and site improvements but exclude items like computers, fuel cells, and land purchases. The credit reduces taxes under several New Jersey tax acts and requires a state report on program usage within six years.
This New Jersey bill creates tax credits for businesses manufacturing equipment for advanced nuclear facilities licensed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Manufacturers can claim a 15% credit on eligible equipment and facility improvements, increasing to 25% for relocating businesses or certified minority/women/veteran-owned businesses. It also establishes a state program to award tax credits to developers of new nuclear facilities, requiring projects to demonstrate economic feasibility, comply with environmental standards, pay prevailing wages, and secure NRC licensing by 2030. The program applies only to projects at current or decommissioned nuclear sites and mandates a 20% developer capital contribution.
This bill imposes new annual registration fees for electric vehicles in New Jersey: $300 for passenger EVs and $450 for commercial EVs starting July 2025, collected by the Motor Vehicle Commission. It reduces highway fuel tax rates from 10.5¢ to 7¢ per gallon for gasoline and 13.5¢ to 9¢ for diesel fuel. All fees and tax revenues will fund the state's Transportation Trust Fund. The bill also authorizes the Department of Transportation to conduct a study on alternative revenue sources for transportation infrastructure.
This bill requires all New Jersey school districts to include environmental sustainability goals in their existing long-range facilities plans. Districts must update these plans every five years to incorporate sustainability measures, such as energy efficiency or waste reduction, alongside other planning elements like enrollment projections and safety standards. The requirement applies to all school districts, including those designated as "Abbott districts" under previous law. This amendment modifies an existing 2000 law (P.L.2000, c.72) by adding environmental sustainability as a mandatory component of the planning process, without specifying exact sustainability metrics.
ACR 69 is a concurrent resolution declaring that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) 2021 rules implementing the "Advanced Clean Trucks" program are inconsistent with legislative intent. The resolution states the DEP adopted these rules - requiring 55-75% zero-emission truck sales by 2035 - without following a legal requirement to notify environmental committees, as mandated by 2003 law authorizing only California's "phase 2" low-emission vehicle program. The resolution gives the DEP 30 days to amend or withdraw the rules, or the legislature may later pass another resolution to invalidate them. This procedural action directly affects the DEP's rulemaking authority and the timeline for truck manufacturers to comply with the program.
This bill authorizes the construction of energy transmission and distribution infrastructure (like power lines and equipment) on preserved farmland, which is land protected by conservation easements. It requires landowner approval, limits installations to a 50-foot right-of-way along the farm's edge, and mandates specific installation methods (e.g., underground trenches deeper than 3 feet) to minimize disruption to farming. Projects not meeting these conditions must seek committee approval, balancing agricultural use with state energy needs. The bill was enacted as P.L.2025, c.390, after being introduced and withdrawn in 2026.
New Jersey bill A-2770 requires electric utilities to charge large data centers a surcharge during peak grid demand periods. This surcharge applies to facilities defined as "large load data centers" (those using at least 50 megawatts monthly for digital data storage and processing). All collected surcharge funds must be transferred to a new "Grid Modernization Fund" managed by the Board of Public Utilities. The fund can only be used to finance projects modernizing the state's electrical grid, with no other purposes permitted. The bill takes immediate effect upon enactment.
