http://www.environmentnewjersey.org/legislature/testimony/global-warming/global-warming/global-warming-response-act-a3301/s2114
Global Warming Response Act (A3301/S2114)

Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee

Testimony before the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee

Urging Support for the Global Warming Response Act (A3301/S2114)

Suzanne Leta Liou, Global Warming and Clean Energy Advocate

February 20, 2007

Excerpt:

New Jersey’s passage of this legislation will make us the second state in the nation to pass a comprehensive solution to global warming. In light of that, I would like to talk briefly about how New Jersey’s current policies make our state incredibly well-positioned to meet the goal of this bill and ensure that we receive the immense benefits from being at the vanguard of global warming solutions.

Excerpt:

Half of our pollution, 52 percent, comes from transportation, primarily cars and trucks. 16 percent of our pollution comes from in-state power plants that generate electricity. We also import 20 to 30 percent of our total electricity use from out of state, including dirty coal-fired power plants in Pennsylvania. 21 percent of our pollution comes from residential and commercial use, primarily heating, and another 11 percent of our pollution comes from industrial facilities.

Excerpt: NOTE - Codey

First, thanks in large part to Governor Codey, we are part of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, an agreement between 10 Northeastern states establishing a cap-and-trade program to reduce global warming pollution from power plants. Under this program, New Jersey will reduce global warming pollution from power plants by 10 percent below 2009 levels by 2019, a real contribution toward the goals of the legislation before you today.

Excerpt:

Our second building block is energy efficiency. Efficiency programs include energy audits, incentives to purchase energy efficient appliances and financial assistance to retrofit power plants to be more efficient.

Excerpt:

The third building block is one of the best Clean Energy Standards in the nation. This standard requires that 20 percent of the electricity used in New Jersey comes from clean, renewable sources like wind and solar, and has created a burgeoning solar industry.

Excerpt: NOTE - Car feebate and Transit Villages*

Our fourth and final building block is the Clean Cars Program. The program, passed by the legislature in 2004, requires an increasing percentage of zero-emissions and low-emissions vehicles to be sold in New Jersey.

(snip)

One way to do that is to establish a statewide cost-neutral “feebate” program to help drive the rapidly growing market for fuel efficient cars. (There are already 13 hybrid gas-electric vehicles on the market, including 5 SUVs and one pick up truck. Another 9 hybrids are expected to come on the market within the next 2 years and another 16 models are in the works.) This “feebate” program would charge disincentives, or fees, to purchasers of the worst gas guzzlers and use the money generated from those fees to provide incentives, or rebates, to purchasers of the most fuel efficient vehicles. Another option for New Jersey is to ensure existing car-owners have the option of purchasing low rolling resistance tires that improve fuel efficiency.

We can also take big steps to ensure we stabilize the amount of driving in our state. After all, nearly 75 percent of New Jerseyans drive to work alone. We can tackle this by providing incentives for ride reduction programs such as carpooling, shuttle service to transit stations and telecommuting and offering pay-as-you-drive auto insurance. We can also change development patterns to focus on transit villages and ensure mass transit is affordable and accessible.

(snip)