This bill establishes a $10 million grant program within New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection to help municipalities upgrade improperly closed sanitary landfills (those shut down before June 1, 1987, without proper closure). It directly affects municipalities owning such landfills by providing financial assistance for specific safety upgrades, including covers, methane monitoring systems, and leachate collection. The program requires municipalities to apply with project details, prioritizes projects with the greatest environmental and health impact, and mandates annual reports on fund usage. Grants cover only costs not offset by federal funding, aiming to meet state closure standards and reduce pollution risks from these aging sites.
This bill creates an alternative payment option for electric power suppliers to meet New Jersey's Class II renewable energy requirements. Instead of generating or purchasing renewable energy, suppliers can pay a set fee per megawatt-hour (MWh) to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. The payment amount is defined in the bill as a specific dollar figure per MWh, providing a financial compliance mechanism for utilities. This directly affects electric power suppliers who must meet renewable energy mandates under existing law. The bill does not change the renewable energy targets but offers a new compliance pathway.
This bill bans the intentional addition of carcinogens, reproductive toxicants, flame resistant chemicals, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to synthetic hair products sold in New Jersey. It specifically targets products made from artificial fibers like polyester, nylon, or cellulose that mimic human hair. The law prohibits manufacturers, sellers, or distributors from offering such products in the state if they contain these substances, with violations punishable by fines up to $20,000 per offense. The bill defines prohibited chemicals using U.S. agency standards (like WHO and EPA classifications) to clarify compliance.
This bill requires New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to create a statewide plan within one year to reduce public exposure to lead in soil and drinking water. The plan must use existing soil test data from cleanup sites, public water testing, and private well results to identify high-risk geographic areas and prioritize public funds for remediation. It also mandates the DEP to develop a public education program about lead health risks and prevention measures. The plan must be posted online, submitted to the legislature, and updated every five years.
This bill creates a new Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program within New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to address safety and environmental risks from abandoned mines. The program requires the DEP to develop a detailed plan mapping all abandoned mines, identifying the most dangerous sites (like those threatening structures or water quality), and ranking reclamation projects by priority and cost. The DEP can implement reclamation through its own work, contracts with private firms, or grants to local governments or landowners, while seeking federal funding. Property owners must allow DEP access for reclamation work after notice (with accommodations for timing), but the bill explicitly prohibits requiring landowners to pay for these efforts. This directly affects residents living near abandoned mines and property owners in affected areas.
This bill prohibits New Jersey state agencies, counties, and municipalities from adopting rules or ordinances that ban the installation or use of fossil fuel-powered kitchen appliances (like natural gas stoves) in residential or commercial kitchens, provided the appliances meet existing federal and state safety standards. It does not prevent voluntary programs that incentivize switching to electric appliances. The bill directly affects homeowners, renters, and businesses that might face local restrictions on gas appliances. It is currently pending in the Assembly Environment Committee after introduction on January 13, 2026.
This bill requires New Jersey's Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to prioritize energy security, diversity, and affordability when creating the state's Energy Master Plan. It mandates the BPU to limit variable energy sources (like solar and wind) to no more than 50% of the state's energy portfolio and conduct detailed economic and ratepayer impact analyses for all major energy projects and the Master Plan itself. These analyses must break down costs, include public comment periods, and be published online for 10 years. The bill directly affects the BPU, energy companies seeking project approvals, and ratepayers through these new transparency and analysis requirements.
S 3629 creates a pilot program allowing eligible New Jersey municipalities (called "pilot agencies") to develop microgrids that provide backup power to critical facilities like hospitals or emergency centers during outages. The bill enables these municipalities to partner with developers through 20-year power purchase agreements, subject to approval by the Division of Local Government Services and the Board of Public Utilities. Key provisions include requiring microgrids to use non-diesel distributed energy resources (like solar or storage) and ensuring the systems can operate independently from the main grid. This directly affects participating municipalities and the critical facilities they serve by improving local power resilience.
New Jersey's A 266 bill would ban selling, distributing, or using urea (a fertilizer-like substance) specifically for melting ice on sidewalks, roads, or other outdoor surfaces. It does not restrict urea's other uses, such as farming, and explicitly excludes rock salt from the definition of "urea" for this purpose. Violations could result in fines up to $500 for a first offense and $1,000 for repeat offenses, enforced by environmental or local agencies. The bill is currently pending in the Assembly Consumer Affairs Committee as of its January 2026 introduction.
This bill amends New Jersey's law banning PFAS in firefighting foam to extend use for specific facilities. Fixed foam system owners (for class B fires) may continue using PFAS foam until four years after the original law's effective date, and oil refineries may use it for large tank fire suppression until eight years after that date. Both extensions require annual reporting on foam use, containment measures to prevent environmental release, and detailed transition plans to PFAS-free alternatives. Refineries can apply for up to two-year waivers beyond the eight-year period if they prove no commercially available PFAS-free alternatives exist for their specific fire suppression needs.
