SENATE, No. 498

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED JANUARY 22, 1996

By Senator SCOTT

An Act concerning employer trip reduction programs and repealing P.L.1992, c.32.

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

    1. As authorized by Section 182(d)(1) of the Clean Air Act as amended by Pub.L.104-70, the Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall submit a revision of the State Implementation Plan submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to the Clean Air Act removing provisions of the State Implementation Plan requiring employers to reduce work-related vehicle trips and miles traveled by employees.

    2. Sections 1 through 13 (inclusive) and section 15 of P.L.1992, c.32 (C.27:26A-1 through 13 and 27:26A-14) are repealed.

    3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    The 1990 amendments to the federal Clean Air Act required states, such as New Jersey, in severe non-attainment areas for ozone to include programs requiring employers to implement programs to reduce work-related vehicle trips and miles traveled by employees in their State Implementation Plans (SIPs). The Clean Air Act was recently amended, Pub.L.104-70, to make such programs an optional part of a State’s SIP. The Clean Air Act now authorizes a State to remove such programs from its SIP, if the State notifies the Environmental Protection Agency that the State has undertaken, or will undertake, one or more alternative methods to achieve emission reductions equivalent to those to be achieved by the employer trip reduction program.

    This bill directs the Commissioner of Environmental Protection to so notify the EPA and to remove the mandated employer trip reduction program from New Jersey’s SIP. The bill also repeals current State law mandating employers to undertake employer trip reduction programs,

Repeals law requiring employer trip reduction programs.