This bill mandates that certain warehouses in New Jersey must obtain an air pollution control permit from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) before they can operate. Specifically, the requirement applies to warehouses that are 100,000 square feet or larger and generate an average of 500 or more vehicle trips per working day, which includes employee commutes and truck traffic, but excludes trips made by zero-emission vehicles. The bill introduces a new definition for "regulated warehouse" and establishes that the DEP will develop a permit program requiring warehouse operators to demonstrate that their operations result in no more than 100 tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, with the possibility of offsetting emissions through the purchase of carbon credits.

Additionally, the bill grants the DEP the authority to regulate air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from these regulated warehouses, aligning with the existing powers it holds under the "Air Pollution Control Act (1954)." Violations of the permit requirements will be treated as violations of the Air Pollution Control Act, subjecting offenders to civil administrative penalties that escalate with repeated offenses. The provisions of this bill will take effect 18 months after its enactment, allowing the DEP time to implement the necessary administrative actions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 26:2C-2, 26:2C-8