ASSEMBLY TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND UTILITIES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 2485

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED: MARCH 22, 2018

The Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 2485.

     As amended and reported, this bill allows the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (board) to approve a qualified wind energy project  located in territorial waters offshore of a municipality in which casino gaming is authorized (project), and authorize offshore wind renewable energy certificates for the project provided that the cumulative number of wind turbines approved for the project is not to exceed six.

Upon the date of enactment of the bill, the board is to accept a submitted application for the project for which an application had been submitted to the board prior to the date of enactment of the bill.  The board may consider relevant information filed in connection with the prior project application in undertaking its review and is to make a final determination on the application within 90 days of the date a complete application is filed with the board.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to: 1) allow, rather than require, the board to approve the project application; 2) require the board to accept a submitted application for the project that had been submitted to the board prior to the date of enactment of the bill; 3) allow the board to consider relevant information filed in connection with the prior project application in undertaking its review; 4) require the board to make a final determination on the project application within 90 days of the date a complete application is filed with the board; and 5) correct a citation.