New Website Will Streamline Transformation of Unusable Land into Clean Energy Sites
(N. Scott Trimble | syracuse.com)
From the NJ Department of Environmental Protection
TRENTON – New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on Wednesday announced the launch of a new website that will serve as a one-stop shop to guide municipalities and solar developers as they plan, fund, and complete solar plus landfill capping projects.
The Governor also signed legislation, A4619/S3479, enhancing the Historic Property Reinvestment Act and the Brownfields Redevelopment Incentive Program Act to support historic preservation and further incentivize the redevelopment of brownfields across New Jersey into new solar energy facilities.
“In New Jersey, we have set the ambitious goal of delivering a 100 percent green economy because we know how important it is to build a strong foundation for renewable energy, combating the imminent threat of climate change and propelling our state forward. My Administration has pursued innovative strategies to reduce our carbon footprint by shifting away from fossil fuels and uplifting renewable resources. These policies represent an investment into our residents and our communities by prioritizing public health, spurring economic development, and creating good-paying jobs, said Governor Murphy.
“With the launch of the Landfill to Solar website, we are putting all our resources in one place so municipalities and developers can leverage otherwise unusable land into renewable energy sites. We are also expanding tax credits under the Economic Development Authority’s Historic Property Reinvestment Act and Brownfields Redevelopment Program Act so that we can preserve New Jersey’s communities while promoting environmental cleanup and green energy production. Today’s bill signing will ensure future generations can celebrate the rich history of our state while living in a greener, healthier environment.”
The new Landfill to Solar website, created by the Governor’s Office of Climate Action and the Green Economy, brings together resources from New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities (BPU), Economic Development Authority (EDA), and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide both municipal governments and solar developers with a step-by-step guide to initiating and completing solar projects.
The site highlights DEP’s Solar Siting Analysis Mapping Tool to help identify eligible landfill sites in municipalities across New Jersey and provides streamlined instructions on how to apply for incentive programs made available through the state. This includes EDA’s Brownfields Redevelopment Incentive Program Act as well as BPU’s Community Solar Energy Program (CSEP) and Competitive Solar Incentive (CSI) program. New Jersey’s solar programs provide incentives tailored to the needs of different projects, further enabling the continued growth of the solar industry at a lower cost to ratepayers. At their September 4 board meeting, BPU adopted rules for the permanent Community Solar Energy Program and proposed changes to allow for the co-location of projects on uncapped, municipally-owned landfills up to a total size of 10-megawatts.
Read the full news release here
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