Lawmakers consider bill that would clamp down on short-term pollutants like methane but could charge state DEP to restrict CO2 pollution, most of which stems from the transportation sector
Tom Johnson reports for NJ Spotlight:
Warning that it is time to get serious about climate change, lawmakers yesterday approved a bill to clamp down on pollutants contributing to global warming, possibly targeting the biggest culprit of all, carbon dioxide.
The legislation (S-3207), which cleared the Senate Environment and Energy Committee, aims to ensure the state is on target to reduce carbon pollution in New Jersey by 80 percent below 2006 levels by mid-century.
At this point, the bill proposes that the state Department of Environmental Protection adopt strategies to curb emissions from short-lived, but very potent, pollutants, such as methane. But Sen. Bob Smith, the chairman of the committee, appeared to endorse a recommendation from the New Jersey Sierra Club that the state also target carbon dioxide, the most pervasive greenhouse-gas pollutant.
Time to clean up CO2
Jeff Tittel, director of the club, argued the state has had the authority to regulate CO2 as an air contaminant since 2005, but never opted to do so. Recent studies, including the National Climate Assessment released by the Trump administration, warns climate change is happening and will have a devastating impact on the U.S. economy
“We are heading into a climate crisis,’’ Tittel told lawmakers. “What we worried and speculated about is already happening. It’s critical for states to move forward.’’
Smith echoed that sentiment with a not-so-subtle shot at the Christie administration’s failure to address climate change during the former governor’s eight years in office. “We went through the dark ages,’’ he said, “and nothing happened.’’
Although not amending the bill, he urged the DEP to take a look at whether CO2 should be regulated as a pollutant with permits and fees attached to emissions, just like other more conventional pollutants like nitrogen oxide, which causes ground-level ozone, or smog.
If the DEP chooses to follow that course, it could serve as a backstop for regulating emissions of the pollutant, particularly at a time when President Donald Trump is rolling back efforts by the previous administration to combat climate change.
