A3082

An Act establishing green teams in State government and supplementing Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.

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

1. a. The executive, legislative, and judicial branches of State government shall each establish green teams, as prescribed in subsection b. of this section, to promote, improve, and incorporate best practices for energy conservation and efficiency and environmental sustainability in State governmental offices.

Each green team (1) shall facilitate the exchange of ideas and information on energy conservation and efficiency and environmental sustainability, which may include hosting conferences and other meetings and coordinating with other green teams to share information with State offices and employees, (2) may work with its host principal department of State government, State agency, or branch of State government to incorporate energy conservation and efficiency and environmental sustainability as part of the mission, or as an element of the business practices, of the department, State agency, or branch of government, (3) may make information available to the public regarding the energy conservation and efficiency and environmental sustainability achievements of that department, State agency, or branch of government, and (4) may review any energy audit conducted for that department, State agency, or branch of government.

b. A green team shall be established for:

(1) the State Capitol Joint Management Commission with respect to the State Capitol Complex, which shall be composed of: (a) six members from the executive branch of State government who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Governor, (b) four members from the legislative branch of State government who may be either legislators or employees, two of whom shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the President of the Senate, and shall be of different political parties, and two of whom shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Speaker of the General Assembly, and shall be of different political parties, and (c) two employees of the Office of Legislative Services who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Executive Director thereof;

(2) each principal department and each State agency in the executive branch of State government, which shall be composed of between eight and 12 members from the department or agency who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the commissioner or other chief executive officer;

(3) the Legislature with respect to legislative district offices, which shall be composed of 10 members from the legislative branch of State government, any of whom may also be a member of the State Capitol Joint Management Commission green team, and of whom (a) two shall be employees of a Senate legislative staff office, each of a different political party and who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Executive Director of that office, (b) two shall be employees of an Assembly legislative staff office, each of a different political party and who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Executive Director of that office, (c) two shall be district office staff to a member of the Senate, each of a different political party and who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Executive Director of their respective legislative staff office, (d) two shall be district office staff to a member of the General Assembly, each of a different political party and who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Executive Director of their respective legislative staff office, and (e) two shall be employees of the Office of Legislative Services who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Executive Director thereof; and

(4) the judicial branch of State government, which shall be composed of between eight and 12 members who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Administrative Director of the Courts, and who may represent the different kinds of courts and vicinages in the State.

c. Each green team shall prepare and transmit an annual report to the President of the Board of Public Utilities and the Director of Energy Savings, as established pursuant to Executive Order #11 of 2006, on the team’s energy conservation and efficiency and environmental sustainability missions and goals, developments and achievements, programs, projects, and training and outreach efforts. The president and director shall share information about the achievements of the green teams with all State governmental offices, local governmental offices, the private sector, and the public to improve Statewide energy conservation and efficiency and environmental sustainability.

Each green team may also transmit the report to their human resources office, or an equivalent entity, for distribution to employees of the principal department, State agency, or branch of government.

d. As used in this section, “State agency” means (1) any State agency that is allocated in but not of a principal department of State government, has at least 50 employees, and is housed in whole or in part in a facility separate from the principal department, or (2) any independent State authority that has at least 50 employees.

2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill would establish a “green team” in each principal department of State government and certain State agencies in the executive branch, in the Legislature, and in the Judiciary, to promote, improve, and incorporate best practices for energy conservation and efficiency and environmental sustainability throughout State government. A “State agency” is defined in the bill as: any State agency that is allocated in but not of a principal department of State government, has at least 50 employees, and is housed in whole or in part in a facility separate from the principal department; or any independent State authority that has at least 50 employees.

Each green team (1) would facilitate the exchange of ideas and information on energy conservation and efficiency and environmental sustainability, which may include hosting conferences and other meetings and coordinating with other green teams to share information with State offices and employees, (2) may work with its host principal department of State government, State agency, or branch of State government to incorporate energy conservation and efficiency and environmental sustainability as part of the mission, or as an element of the business practices, of the department, State agency, or branch of government, (3) may make information available to the public regarding the energy conservation and efficiency and environmental sustainability achievements of that department, State agency, or branch of government, and (4) may review any energy audit conducted for that department, State agency, or branch of government.

A green team would be established for: (1) the State Capitol Joint Management Commission with respect to the State Capitol Complex, consisting of 12 members from the executive and legislative branches, (2) each State department and State agency in the executive branch of State government, which would be composed of between eight and 12 members from the department or agency, (3) the Legislature with respect to the legislative district offices, which would composed of 10 members from the legislative branch of State government, and (4) the judicial branch of State government, consisting of between eight and 12 members.

Each green team would be required to prepare and transmit an annual report to the President of the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and the Director of Energy Savings, as established pursuant to Executive Order #11 of 2006, on the team’s energy conservation and efficiency and environmental sustainability missions and goals, developments and achievements, programs, projects, and training and outreach efforts. Also, the BPU president and the Director of Energy Savings would be required to share information about the achievements of the green teams with all State governmental offices, local governmental offices, the private sector, and the public to improve Statewide energy conservation and efficiency and environmental sustainability.

The United States House of Representatives finalized its “Greening the Capitol” report in 2007, which identified strategies, goals, and initiatives to make the U.S. Capitol a leader in energy conservation and efficiency and environmental sustainability. Under this report, one of the outreach goals underway is developing a “Green Team” program for House employees. Along this line, the House held the first Green Expo, attended by over 1,500 employees, to raise awareness about green transportation options, and has made information about the House’s energy efficiency and sustainability practices available to visitors through the Capitol Visitors Center and in Member offices. According to the final report, “implementing these goals is a good investment for the American taxpayer, the environment, and our children’s future.”

New Jersey was recently named one of 20 states to receive a free clean energy audit as part of a “Greening State Capitols” initiative through a partnership between Wal-Mart and the National Governors Association. This energy audit would be available to the State Capitol Joint Management Commission green team to review for the purposes of improving energy conservation and efficiency and environmental sustainability in the State Capitol Complex.