New Jersey Sets GHG Reduction Goals, Corporates Pledge Cuts

April 25, 2000—The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ) report that, in an unprecedented move, the New Jersey government and some of the state’s largest companies have developed specific standards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, making it the first U.S. state to do so.

Annouced by Republican Governor Christine Todd Whiman’s Environmental Chief Robert Shinn, the plan would cut emissions through a combination of state initatives and volutary private sector efforts. Greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced to 3.5% below 1990 levels by 2005.

New Jersey companies, including GPU Energy, Lucent Techonologies and Johnson & Johnson, plan to cut their emissions through new solid waste management techniques, improved energy efficiency and innovative pollution prevention technology.

The state plans to put emissions by 20% using a new bio-fuel in some of its public transit buses and by closing and capping 12 aging landfills that emit significant amounts of greenhouse gases.

Schinn noted that New Jersey has a major stake in combating global climate change with nearly two-thirds of the state vulnerable to rising sea levels.