SENATE, No. 2711

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

216th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED JANUARY 15, 2015

 

 

Sponsored by:

Senator  BOB SMITH

District 17 (Middlesex and Somerset)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires BPU to approve qualified wind energy project and exempts project from cost-benefit analysis.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

 

An Act concerning offshore wind energy projects and amending P.L.2010, c.57.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.  Section 4 of P.L.2010, c.57 (C.48:3-87.2) is amended to read as follows:

     4.    The board [may] shall approve, subject to the project obtaining the necessary permits, approvals, and authorizations from the Department of Environmental Protection, a qualified wind energy project located in territorial waters offshore of a municipality in which casino gaming is authorized, and authorize offshore wind renewable energy certificates for that project.  Any such project shall be a nominal 20 megawatts and no more than 25 megawatts in nameplate capacity and comply with the requirements set forth in section 3 of P.L.2010, c.57 (C.48:3-87.1), except that the entity seeking to construct the project shall not be required to prepare and submit a cost-benefit analysis for the project pursuant to paragraph (10) of subsection a. of  section 3 of P.L.2010, c.57 (C.48:3-87.1) and the provisions of subparagraph (b) of paragraph (1) of subsection b. of section 3 of P.L.2010, c.57 (C.48:3-87.1) shall not apply to the project.

(cf:  P.L.2010, c.57, s.4)

 

     2.  This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill would require the Board of Public Utilities to approve a qualified wind energy project that is located in territorial waters offshore of a municipality in which casino gaming is authorized as provided in section 4 of P.L.2010, c.57 (C.48:3-87.2).  The bill would also remove the requirements that (1) the entity seeking to construct the project prepare and submit a cost-benefit analysis to the board, and (2) the board's approval of the project depend in part upon the results of a cost-benefit analysis.