Gov. Murphy's 2022 Environmental Achievements
Clean Energy
- Increased the state’s offshore wind target of 7,500 megawatts from wind turbines by 2035 to 11,000 MW by 2040
- Launched a Statewide Clean Buildings Working Group to study ways to reduce carbon emissions from buildings in New Jersey.
- Board of Public Utilities (BPU) commissioned an expert report that concluded that the state has enough gas capacity to meet New Jersey's needs. In addition, they found that Williams Transco’s newest natural gas project, the Regional Energy Access Expansion, is not necessary for the state’s energy supply, and intervened in the FERC docket against it
- BPU released a ratepayer impact study indicating that making the move to renewable energy could save residential consumers money primarily by electrifying building-heating systems and switching to electric vehicles
- Launched a competitive utility-scale solar incentive program, aiming for 300 MW annually through 2026 while ensuring sound siting
- Filed a lawsuit on behalf of New Jersey residents against five oil and gas companies and a petroleum trade association, alleging they knowingly made false claims to deceive the public about the existence of climate change and the degree to which their fossil fuels products have been acerbating anthropogenic global warming
Land
- Developed and published state guidance on where and how warehouses should be sited
- Implemented the Plastic Pollution Reduction Act
- Launched “Outside Together” a five-year blueprint that will set open space, parkland, outdoor equity and funding priorities to best serve the recreation and conservation needs of all new jersey residents
- Took a major step toward on the Essex-Hudson Greenway project by acquiring necessary property
- Signed a law to create a Black History Trail that appropriates $1 million to put markers on trails, museums, and other historical sites
- Recently announced agreement struck between New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and former chemical plant to remediate and preserve 1,000 acres of a (soon to be) former Superfund Site
Water
- NJ PACT rules regarding stormwater and flood hazard rules were published for comment in the December 5, 2022 NJ Register
- Dedicated $300 million of American Rescue Plan money for water infrastructure, with $248 million for combined sewer overflows, $45 million for drinking water resilience, and $4 million for addressing private well contamination
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Reassigned All Tier B Municipalities to Tier A Municipalities Under MS4 Permit Program to provide additional protections from pollutants discharged into impaired waterways
- Awarded $9.95 million in American Rescue Plan funds for water quality improvement projects
- Voted to ban the discharge of fracking-related wastewater within the Delaware River watershed as a member of the Delaware River Basin Commission
- Marked milestone in improving health of urban waterways by issuing first permits implementing long-term combined sewer reduction plans
Jobs and Education
- Signed legislation preserving the internationally recognized New Jersey School of Conservation by turning over stewardship to the Friends of the School of Conservation
- Announced more than $8 million to build a diverse, inclusive green jobs sector
- Released the Green Jobs for a Sustainable Future report, created by the New Jersey Council on the Green Economy in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Climate Action and the Green Economy