Tagged: GHG

The Extension of the Permit Extension Act is on the Move, To Be Reviewed Today By Assembly Appropriations Committee

About two months ago, several NJ Legislators, including State Senator Paul Sarlo (Bergen/Passaic) and Assemblyman Ronald Dancer, proposed bills that would amend the 2008 “Permit Extension Act.” Designed to give developers breathing room in the sluggish economy by extending the validity of development approvals, Proposed Bill S743 (the “Bill” or “S743”) is gaining traction and is moving through the necessary legislative committees. On March 5, 2012, S743 passed by a vote of 4-0 by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. The Bill is scheduled to go before the Assembly Appropriations Committee on March 12, 2012.

The Permit Extension Act May Keep Extending

Apparently concerned that the economy may not be recovering rapidly enough, the 215th New Jersey Legislature now convened, introduced a new bill (A337) on January 10, 2012, by Assemblyman Ronald S. Dancer of District 12, to change the definition of the “extension period” under the Permit Extension Act so that it runs through December 31, 2015. Therefore, based on the 6-month tolling provision currently in the Permit Extension Act, approvals received for development applications during the extension period could be extended as far out as June 30, 2016. Bill A337 has been referred to the Assembly Housing and Local Government Committee.

Nissan Leaf EV Expected to be Available Nationwide in Early 2012

The all electric Nissan Leaf is now available in seven new states, bringing the total to 30, including New Jersey, where it is sold. The additional states are Delaware, Indiana, Louisiana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. This is good news for Delaware, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, which are members of the Transportation and Climate Initiative planning for an Electric Vehicle (EV) Network across the Northeast.

NJ Charges Forward with Electric Vehicle Network

On October 20, 2011, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin announced that New Jersey signed an agreement with other states and the District of Columbia to develop a Northeast Electric Vehicle Network and promote alternative transportation fuels. This announcement comes less than one month after New Jersey, along with the other members of the Transportation and Climate Initiative, received a federal grant of nearly $1 million to start planning a network of charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs). The goal of the Network is to bolster economic growth, maintain the region’s leadership in the clean energy economy and reduce the area’s dependence on oil and its emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants.

Electric Vehicles Get a Jump Start in the Northeast

Today New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin announced that New Jersey, along with the other members of the Transportation and Climate Initiative, have received a federal grant of nearly $1 million to start planning a network of charging stations for electric vehicles. The initiative is expected to spur job creation and the use of electric vehicles (EVs).

Proposed Legislation Will Require Shopping Center Developments in NJ to Provide Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles

One of the problems with electric cars (EVs) is – what do you do when the battery runs down? Currently there are 500 charging stations in the United States and 400 of them are in California. In an attempt to address the dead battery problem and encourage purchase of EVs, on March 21, 2011, the New Jersey State Senate introduced Bill S2784 (the “Bill”) which requires owners of shopping center developments to include charging stations. Under the Bill, owners of a “shopping center development” must equip not less than five (5%) percent of the parking spaces for the shopping center development with electric vehicle charging stations. Moreover, such stations must be available for use during the hours of operation of the shopping center development.

U.S. Officially Agrees to Copenhagen Accord Target

The United States officially notified the UN that it will abide by the emission reduction goal of the Copenhagen Accords. U.S. climate envoy Todd Stern submitted America’s target to the U.N. Framework Convention on climate change as part of a January 31 deadline negotiated in Copenhagen last year. Thus the U.S. promised that it will reduce global warming pollution about 17% below 2005 levels in the next decade. In doing so, Stern made a point of noting that the final figure could change depending on the outcome of U.S. legislation.

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Provides Guidance on SEC Disclosure Requirements

In response to prodding from institutional investors, on January 27, 2010, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission voted to provide companies with interpretive guidance on existing SEC disclosure requirements regarding the impact that business or legal developments related to climate change may have on its business. The interpretive guidance identifies four examples of where climate change may trigger disclosure requirements including the impact of legislation and regulation, the impact of international accords, the indirect consequences of regulation or business trends and the physical impacts of climate change.

Changing the Climate for Greenhouse Gas Regulation: Decisions by Appellate Court and EPA May Help to Pave the Way for Comprehensive Federal Legislation

Since late June, when the House narrowly passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, the loud and rancorous debate over health care may have obscured another critical issue being considered by Congress: climate change and the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. Decisions made public on successive days in September by a federal appellate court and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), however, may go a long way toward making wide-ranging federal controls over greenhouse gas emissions a reality.