In a 23-14 vote Thursday, the New Jersey Senate signed off on legislation to establish the Clean Vehicle Task Force. The New Jersey Assembly approved the bill in December and referred it back to the Senate for a concurrence vote. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk for consideration.
The Clean Vehicle Task Force will consist of 11 members and evaluate issues related to the promotion, development and use of low-, zero- or near-zero-emission vehicles in New Jersey. The body will also have to submit a report with recommendations to the governor and the legislature within a year of organizing.
“It is clear that the effects of vehicle emissions have a tremendous and visible impact on the environment,” says Assemblyman Gordon Johnson, a sponsor of the bill. “Setting up a task force to explore clean energy options for vehicles is the right step toward fulfilling our obligation to protect the environment for future generations.”
The legislation also clarifies that, as it has since 2009, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) would be required to continue implementing the California Low Emission Vehicle Program and the California zero-emission vehicle requirements.
