The Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee will meet on Thursday, March 19, 2020, at 10:00 AM in Committee Room 11, 4th Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ.
The committee will take testimony from invited guests on an update to the New Jersey Energy Master Plan, entitled “2019 New Jersey Energy Master Plan: Pathway to 2050.”
(The public may address comments and questions to Kevin J. Donahue, Committee Aide, or make bill status and scheduling inquiries to Carla Novatkoski, secretary, at 609-847-3840, fax 609-292-0561, or e-mail: OLSAideATU@njleg.org. Written and electronic comments, questions and testimony submitted to the committee by the public, as well as recordings and transcripts, if any, of oral testimony, are government records and will be available to the public upon request.)
**Updated at 3 p.m. to include additional news stories**
But in a rare public dispute, Senate Democrats disagree over aspects of the bill
Sen. Paul Sarlo proposed to amend the food waste bill, arguing the legislation is not “practical.’’
Tom Johnson reports for NJ Spotlight
By a narrow vote, the Senate yesterday gave final legislative approval to a bill that would require large generators of food waste, such as hospitals, prisons, restaurants and supermarkets, to recycle their trash instead of sending it to landfills, or, in most cases, incinerators.
The bill (A-2371) was approved the same day as the Senate also passing, by 22-14, a much-debated measure (S-864) to prohibit single-use plastic bags and paper carry-out bags — like the food waste bill, long a top priority of environmental organizations in New Jersey. The plastics bill still needs to be approved by the Assembly, where its prospects are a bit murky.
Each of the issues has defied reaching a consensus among lawmakers. Both measures died in the lame-duck legislative session earlier this year despite gaining some traction in either the Assembly or Senate, only to falter because neither house could agree with the other’s version.
Nevertheless, the movement on both bills marked a victory for proponents given the opposition the proposals faced in previous sessions, not only from industry lobbyists but from lawmakers themselves.
That surfaced yesterday in the Senate in a rare public dispute among fellow Democrats over the food waste bill with Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen) proposing to amend the measure, arguing the legislation is not “practical.’’
Sarlo: It would increase costs
Sarlo contended the bill will increase costs to institutions and public entities by requiring them to send their trash, potentially over large distances, to be recycled in so-called food digesters, instead of landfills. Many landfills have built methane collection systems to capture gas from food waste in garbage dumps and convert it into electricity.
“This bill will destroy those systems,’’ Sarlo said in offering amendments to the bill to conform to what was agreed to in the prior legislative session. That bill, however, was conditionally vetoed by Gov. Phil Murphy, who faulted the idea of sending waste to garbage incinerators.
Under the current bill, facilities would be prohibited from sending food waste to a licensed incinerator or landfill only if they could demonstrate economic hardship.
Sen. Bob Smith (D-Middlesex), the sponsor of the bill, said that only 15% of food waste would end up in landfills, the third-largest source of methane emissions in the world. “We have to do everything we can to turn around climate change,’’ said Smith, adding methane is more than 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide, the most prevalent greenhouse gas emission causing climate change.
Concerns about location
Other Democratic senators, however, expressed concerns that these food digesters would be built in urban areas already overburdened with pollution facilities, otherwise known as environmental justice communities.
Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester) sought to blunt those concerns by vowing to back a bill (S-232) now pending in the Senate that gives environmental justice communities more ability to fight unwanted projects that increase pollution in those communities. Ultimately, the bill only won approval by a 22-17 vote.
Food waste recycling bill heads to Murphy’s desk, again
Lawmakers on Thursday sent a bill to Gov. Phil Murphy’s desk that would ramp up recycling requirements for unused and wasted food.
The proposal, Assembly Bill 2371, took an unusual route through the state Legislature when it bypassed any committee hearings on the Senate side, drawing the ire of lawmakers at an afternoon voting session on March 5, who unsuccessfully attempted to stall the controversial measure.
Many critics pushed Thursday for an exemption to be reinserted into the bill that would allow the disposal of food in landfills or trash incinerators to count as recycling, such as Sen. Paul Sarlo, D-36th District, whose district in Bergen County includes landfills.
Murphy vetoed the measure over the summer because he worried those exemptions “severely weakened” it.
Sen. Paul Sarlo at the New Jersey Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee meeting on May 14, 2019. – AARON HOUSTON
“We find ourselves here today, not on the original bill, not the agreed-upon bill, not the handshake bill, not the bill that was comprised,” but a bill that “bypassed the environment committee, bypassed the budget committee, right to the floor,” Sarlo said.
The proposal would require large generators of food waste, such as hospitals, prisons, restaurants, and supermarkets, to recycle food garbage rather than send it to incinerators or landfills.
Many lawmakers, especially those representing urban districts where the foul odors and noxious fumes of incinerators and landfills find their way into local resident’s lungs, reluctantly approved the measure.
“My apprehension toward this bill is not the good environmental impact it will have … my apprehension … is that in areas like Newark, that have key geographic locations with the port and every interstate in the state of New Jersey, makes it such a viable and attractive place to become a hub for one of these facilities,” Sen. Teresa Ruiz, D-29th District said Thursday.
“We already have an incinerator and we already have the port. We already have enough truck traffic that is creating asthma numbers in pluralities like we’ve never seen before,” the Newark senator added. “Communities that are already negatively impacted within environmental issues are removed from this capacity so that when these sites are getting built, we’re not double-dipping in areas that just get clobbered on time and time again.”
Senate President Pro Tempore Maria Teresa Ruiz at the Senate Reorganization meeting in Trenton on Jan. 14, 2020.
At its core, the bill requires generators of more than 52 tons of food per year to separate food waste and send it to the closest authorized recycling facility within 25 miles.
Sen. Bob Smith, D-17th District, the bill’s main sponsor, argued that the legislation would create an entirely new industry, revolved around environmentally conscious food recycling, rather than letting it sit in a landfill where it would produce methane gas. In the years to follow, the booming industry would drive down costs and vastly outdo any expenses that businesses might incur in the near future, Smith argued.
The state Senate on Thursday passed and sent to Gov. Phil Murphy legislation that would require facilities such as supermarkets, restaurants and hospitals to separate and recycle their food waste. The bill also changes the definition of Class I renewable energy to include renewable natural gas, or biogas. The Senate passed the measure, 22-17, after considerable discussion. The Assembly passed it last month. “If we want to get some of our food waste out of landfills, this is the way to do it,” said Sen. Bob Smith, who sponsored the bill.
New Jersey Senate Passes Long-awaited Food Waste Bill
The bill, which ultimately passed as A2371, requires large food waste generators—hospitals, prisons, restaurants, grocery stores, etc.—to separate and recycle food waste. It also amends the definition of “Class I renewable energy.”
Specifically, under the bill, every large food waste generator that is located within 25 miles of an authorized food waste recycling facility and that generates an average projected volume of 52 or more tons per year of food waste within that radius would be required to source separate its food waste from other solid waste. They would then need to send that source-separated food waste to an authorized food waste recycling facility that has available capacity and will accept it. This only applies to an individual establishment or location that generates an average projected volume of 52 or more tons per year of food waste, so individual schools would not apply.
Finally, recycling facilities would be required to employ minority and women applicants that reside near the facility.
The legislation was sponsored by Senate Environment and Energy Chair Senator Bob Smith and Sen. Christopher Bateman.
“Food waste in this country and in New Jersey is a major problem and a serious waste of resources. The purpose of this legislation is to encourage the construction of more food waste-to-energy facilities, which can use food waste to generate electricity,” said Smith (D-Middlesex/Somerset) in a statement. “This process will ensure a constant source of separated food waste at our sanitation facilities across the state.”
The bill was released from the Senate by a vote of 22 to 17 and is on its way to Gov. Phil Murphy’s desk.
The New Jersey Composting Council touted the bill’s passage as a “legislative win,” explaining that the bill will do the following:
Create a Food Waste Recycling Market Development Council to provide recommendations on how to increase demand for products and energy generated by food waste recycling facilities.
Require state departments or agencies that engage in landscaping or construction to use compost, mulch or other soil amendments generated from recycling of organic materials where competitively priced and feasible.
Provide a financial incentive for energy generated at a food waste recycling facility by giving the facility a “class I renewable energy certificate,” which in turn can be sold on an open market or to energy suppliers and can be used by energy suppliers to meet renewable energy portfolio requirements.
New space in Parsippany to support growing staff with state-of-the-art tech, lounges, and amenities access
EWMA announced plans for its new corporate headquarters in Parsippany. After more than 20 years in the Lanidex Plaza, the environmental remediation company said its new facility will be ready for occupancy in the fall of 2020.
“This brand new facility, now under construction, will help improve productivity, which will allow us to better serve our clients, plus create even more job opportunities,” said Michael Sylvester, executive vice president of EWMA. “Our modernized design supports enhanced workforce collaboration and teamwork, on all levels and across all departments.”
For the past 20 years, EWMA has also been a proud partner of the Parsippany community.
“As the company begins its next chapter of expansion, we are looking forward to investing in the tremendously talented employees within the area. It is an exciting time for EWMA and our new facility will be a great place to work,” Sylvester said. “Our new space will allow our shared services and operating teams to better serve our employees, vendors, and customers, and will help facilitate our next wave of growth.”
“The goal of this new workspace is to support what employees want and need from a work environment, and for many of them, that’s tech to make their jobs simpler,” Sylvester added. “We took that to heart when selecting and designing a new headquarters.”
According to Don Richardson, president of EWMA, the company chose to stay in the Parsippany area to continue their support of the greater Morris County business community.
“We’ve made a 20-plus year commitment to Morris County’s economy, and to Parsippany in particular,” Richardson said, noting that EWMA is a longtime member of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce and regularly participates in fundraisers for local charities. “We are committed to the economic vitality of this area.”
There is a practical element, too: Richardson said that Parsippany’s access to major highways, excellent schools, and shopping make the community an ideal one for those looking to live, work, and play within their new chosen communities. Being so close to amenities and recreation opportunities alike makes it easy for employees to access what they need, when they need it.
“We liked Parsippany for a long time because of its ease of access to other parts of the state, but as we grew, we began to see how much our employees appreciated being so close to practical amenities,” adds Richardson. “The entire area continues to draw a diverse and talented workforce; it’s truly a gem of Morris County, and we are excited to continue growing our roots here for years to come.”
EWMA will move into its new headquarters by Fall 2020.
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Florida’s program is so large that it will double the U.S. shared solar capacity.
Brian Burgess reports in The Capitolist
In a unanimous vote this week, Florida’s Public Service Commission approved the country’s largest, voluntary, utility-led shared solar program after a settlement was reached between Florida Power & Light’s (FPL) SolarTogether program and a coalition of climate and community activists lead by Vote Solar. The settlement will also create the country’s largest low-income shared solar program, helping as many as 10,000 low-income Florida families benefit from solar energy.
“We applaud the Florida Public Service Commission for embracing a new, innovative solar program that will greatly expand access to solar power for customers, including low-income customers, and generate millions of dollars in projected economic benefits,” said Dr. Stephen A. Smith, Executive Director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. “There was a time when customers paid little mind to the source of their power. No longer. The Commission’s unanimous approval delivers a program that will help expand low-cost, clean, solar power options for the Sunshine State.”
FPL’s SolarTogether program will deploy almost 1,500 megawatts of solar power generation at sites around the state. In the settlement, 37.5 megawatts of energy generation will be set aside to generate savings for low-income families. Vote Solar estimates that the energy pool will help participants save $1,300 over the life of the program. The program will also offer a free home energy audit by FPL to subscribers that will help low-income families tap into even more savings.
“Every Floridian should be able to participate and benefit from affordable, clean, local solar power,” said Katie Chiles Ottenweller, Southeast Director for Vote Solar. “Solar is now the most affordable electricity resource in Florida, making it even more important that low-income families have access to solar savings.”
Shared solar programs like SolarTogether allow customers to subscribe to a portion of a local, large-scale solar array and receive a credit on their electricity bill for the solar produced by their subscription. Importantly, shared solar allows renters, people with homes that are not suitable for solar panels and families who are unable to afford the upfront costs of owning their own solar panels to share in the financial benefits of solar. Currently, 19 states and Washington, D.C. have passed legislation to allow for shared solar programs. FPL’s program is so large that it will double U.S. shared solar capacity.
“Florida’s low-income families are already on the frontlines of the climate crisis, they have so much to gain from participating in shared solar projects like SolarTogether,” said Yoca Arditi-Rocha, Executive Director of the CLEO Institute. “We look forward to seeing similar offerings from the state’s other utilities.”
According to a press release about the project, SolarTogether is also expected to save millions of dollars for non-subscribing customers of FPL due to the fuel cost and avoided generation savings that come from investments in solar power. The program is set to launch later this year.
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New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham gives her State of the State address during the opening of the New Mexico legislative session in the House chambers at the state Capitol in Santa Fe, N.M. on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2020. (AP Photo/Craig Fritz)
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico will reinstate a tax credit for households and businesses that adopt solar energy systems and take new steps to modernize the electric grid and export more renewable energy under bills signed Tuesday by the governor. New Mexico will reinstate a tax credit for households and businesses that adopt solar energy systems and take new steps to modernize the electric grid and export more renewable energy under bills signed Tuesday by the governor. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico will reinstate a tax credit for households and businesses that adopt solar energy systems and take new steps to modernize the electric grid and export more renewable energy under bills signed Tuesday by the governor.
Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed legislation that revives a state income tax credit of up to $6,000 for the installation of solar panels or thermal solar equipment that heats water. The state will forgo up to $8 million in taxes a year to offset the investments.
Lujan Grisham endorsed a bipartisan grid modernization bill that opens the door for new infrastructure investments by utilities, with customer rate increases vetted by the state Public Regulation Commission.
That bill commissions a grid modernization plan from state energy officials and establishes a grant program for non-utility projects that help improve grid resiliency and expedite the state’s transition toward carbon-free electricity.
Another bill will eliminate some local taxes on utility-scale electrical transmission projects through the use of industrial revenue bonds, with an eye toward opening up new terrain for wind and solar development. State government offsets some of the tax breaks with payments to school districts under the new law.
In a statement, Lujan Grisham praised lawmakers for providing new tools to address climate change by modernizing the electricity sector.
She and the Democrat-led Legislature enacted reforms last year that set aggressive new deadlines for increasing reliance on renewable energy and provides financing to phase out a major coal-fired power plant in northwestern New Mexico.
A bill that would have provided a tax credit toward the purchase or lease of plug-in electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles stalled in the Legislature during its annual session that ended Feb. 20.
Kinetrex Energy, an inter-state liquefied natural gas (LNG) company, EDL, a global producer of sustainable distributed energy, and South Side Landfill, a privately owned business and the only Subtitle D, municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill in Indianapolis, say the construction of the Indy High BTU plant has been completed.
The plant, which will be fully operational later this month, will convert landfill methane gas into approximately 8 million gallons of renewable natural gas (RNG) each year, and in the process, reduce greenhouse gas air emissions in central Indiana, develop a local renewable resource and lower fuel costs. Indy High BTU is the largest RNG plant in Indiana.
“This is an exciting day for our city. We are pleased to see Kinetrex Energy, a homegrown-Indianapolis company, spearheading the effort to provide cleaner, renewable fuel for transportation across the Midwest,” says Joe Hogsett, mayor of Indianapolis.
With construction now complete, Indy High BTU will begin supplying Kinetrex Energy with RNG, which Kinetrex will turn into LNG and sell to Midwest transportation fleets. Kinetrex recently signed a six-year agreement to supply UPS with up to 52.5 million gallons of LNG for its Class 8, LNG-powered fleets in Chicago, Toledo, Columbus, St. Louis and Indianapolis.
