In an address on February 14 at Rutgers University, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced a series of new and accelerated targets and commitments to build upon the administration’s climate action record. The administration will bolster its robust climate adaptation and mitigation efforts through an accelerated target of 100% clean energy by 2035, 15 years earlier than the previous goal. Gov. Murphy also announced ambitious goal-setting for electrification of the state’s building sector and collaborative planning for the future of the State’s natural gas utilities through three executive orders.

Additionally, the state will offer new grant funding for heavy-duty electric vehicles (EVs), initiate the process to adopt Advanced Clean Cars II in New Jersey and ensure 100% of new cars sold in 2035 are zero-emission vehicles and enact rules to enhance flood protection in riverine and coastal areas.

“These bold targets and carefully crafted initiatives signal our unequivocal commitment to swift and concrete climate action today,” said Gov. Murphy. “We’ve turned our vision for a greener tomorrow into a responsible and actionable roadmap to guide us, and it’s through that pragmatic, evidence-based approach that we will ultimately arrive at our destination. Combined with our federal partnerships reinforced through the Inflation Reduction Act, these comprehensive initiatives will better protect and prepare every New Jersey community, including those on the front lines of climate change who have previously been left out and left behind.”

The governor outlined six pillars that will serve as the foundation for a cleaner, greener and more resilient New Jersey.

• Adoption through Executive Order No. 315 of an accelerated target of 100% clean energy by 2035, defined as 100% of the electricity sold in the State to come from clean sources of electricity by January 1, 2035, through clean energy market mechanisms, paired with support for a Clean Energy Standard in New Jersey
• Adoption through Executive Order No. 316 of a target to install zero-carbon-emission space heating and cooling systems in 400,000 homes and 20,000 commercial properties and make 10% of all low-to-moderate income (LMI) properties electrification-ready by 2030
• Initiation through Executive Order No. 317 of a process in partnership with the state’s hometown utilities, key stakeholders including organized labor, and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to plan for the Future of the Natural Gas Utility in New Jersey
• Allocation of $70 million in unobligated Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) auction proceeds toward lowering consumer upfront costs for medium- and heavy-duty EV adoption
• Initiation of the stakeholdering process to adopt Advanced Clean Cars II in New Jersey, which would require all new cars and light-duty truck sales to be zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) by 2035
• Anticipated proposal of the NJ PACT REAL rules in Summer 2023, which will provide enhanced flood protection for homeowners, businesses, and infrastructure against increased flooding in riverine and coastal areas

“The actions announced by Governor Murphy today have the potential to meaningfully and equitably transform New Jersey’s energy sector and economy. The people of New Jersey have long made it clear that we’re ready for bold advancements in public health, grid reliability and a renewable energy workforce. I’m thankful to the Murphy Administration for honoring the will of the people and I hope that these commitments will quickly be converted into action to bring local pollution-free energy, life-sustaining jobs and resiliency to communities across the state — especially environmental justice communities that continue to shoulder disproportionate burdens of our outdated fossil fuel infrastructure,” said Elowyn Corby, Mid-Atlantic regional director for Vote Solar.

News item from the NJBPU