Climate and Energy
There is growing recognition, in New Jersey and across the world, that a changing climate is a serious problem that will require urgent action. Concerns about carbon emissions have more and more people talking seriously about hybrid or electric cars, renewable energy, green building technology and other ways to reduce greenhouse gases and conserve energy. There is one crucial piece of the puzzle, however, that is often omitted from this conversation: the role of land use in influencing carbon emissions.
Land use—the decisions we make about where and how to develop—has a profound and lasting effect on our greenhouse gas emissions and energy use. And unlike cars or appliances, which can be replaced every few years if a newer, more efficient model comes along, the decisions we make about how to develop, and the impacts these decisions have on climate and energy, will be with us for generations. Poor land-use decisions not only lead to poor outcomes today, but they also limit our ability to reduce these impacts far into the future.
New Jersey’s first community solar pilot program is now accepting applications. The program allows those who might not be able to install solar panels on their own roofs to participate in the benefits of solar energy.
New Jersey Future Executive Director Peter Kasabach has been named a co-chair of the Waterfront Alliance’s new Coastal Resiliency Task Force. The task force will work to build consensus around needed resiliency measures, and issue a recommendations report.
New Jersey Future Executive Director Pete Kasabach has sent a letter to Governor Murphy urging him to sign the Clean Stormwater and Flood Reduction Act, which would permit local government entities to establish stormwater management utilities.
New Jersey Future submitted comments on proposed changes to the NJDEP’s stormwater management rules, praising the emphasis on green infrastructure and offering recommendations for making the rule clearer and more effective.
A group of 18 mayors and organizations concerned with how New Jersey grows and develops has sent a letter to Gov. Murphy urging him to renew focus on the State Plan.
A one-hour webinar explaining a new, parcel-based tool that assesses financial vulnerability to coastal flooding and sea-level rise. Friday, May 15, 2015, noon – 1:00 pm.
An interim report, three years after Hurricane Sandy, on New Jersey Future’s groundbreaking local recovery planning manager program, including lessons learned and recommendations. October 2015.
Oct. 28, 2014 — Two years after the devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy, many of New Jersey’s coastal communities continue to struggle with recovery and rebuilding efforts. The highest community priority is to get people back into their homes, re-establish business operations and return to life as close to normal as possible. The elected officials who have led these efforts are hardworking heroes. But it’s also clear that recovery decisions made without a clear understanding of future risks can move people back into harm’s way, build infrastructure that will be damaged again, and waste taxpayer dollars.
Sept. 4, 2013 — Of all the recommendations that came out of President Obama’s Sandy Rebuilding Task Force Strategy, there is one that will help inform much of the other recovery planning that is currently being done: Incorporate projected sea-level rise into all decision-making.
2016 Smart Growth Awards: A large-scale, integrated design strategy will manage water along the Hudson riverfront, for both disaster mitigation and long-term growth, delivering multiple community co-benefits.
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Reports, Presentations and Testimony
- 08/06/2019: Comments on Solar Siting Element of Energy Master Plan
- 07/15/2019: Comments on Draft Energy Master Plan
- New Jersey Future Resilient Coastal Communities Phase 2 Report 5-22-18
- New Jersey Future Resilient Coastal Communities Phase 2 Report appendices 5-22-18
- 02/01/2019: Comments on Phase 1 Stormwater Rule Amendment
- 01/30/2019: Testimony on CAFRA Center Extension
- 10/11/2018: Recommendations on Proposed Energy Master Plan
- 09/20/2018: Clean and Reliable Transportation Comments
- Mystic Island HIA Report 6-7-16
- New Jersey Future Resilient Coastal Communities Project Report Appendix 6
- New Jersey Future Resilient Coastal Communities Project Report Appendix 4
- New Jersey Future Resilient Coastal Communities Project Report Appendix 3 Figures
- New Jersey Future Resilient Coastal Communities Project Report 2017
- 08/15/2017: Statement on Rescission of Flood Risk Management Standard
- 08/10/17: Broccoli joint committee climate change hearing testimony
- 08/10/2017: Testimony for NJ Joint Environment Committee
- New Jersey Future 2017 Gubernatorial Platform
- Little Egg Harbor Township Vulnerability Assessment Report 02-2015
- Strategic Recovery Planning Report Maurice River 05-2015
- Strategic Recovery Planning Report Commercial 12-2015
- NJFuture-In-Deep-10-15-WEB
- Risk analysis public mtg presentation Tuckerton-Little Egg Harbor 4-14-15
- Strategic Recovery Planning Report Tuckerton 4-15-15
- Sea Bright exposure analysis
- New Jersey Future Stormwater Utilities Report 9-14 (Intern Report)
- Agenda for Change
- 03/05/2014: Sandy Action Plan Amendment Planning Letter
- 03/05/2014: Sandy Action Plan Amendment Resiliency Letter
- 02/12/2014: Testimony on Proposed Sandy Plan Still Puts Taxpayer Dollars at Risk
- 03/19/2013: New Jersey Future CDBG-DR comments
- JDrill Outline for APA-NJ 11-4-2011
- RSolomon Solar Siting Presentation APA-NJ 11-4-2011
- LSpecca Solar Presentation APA-NJ 11-4-2011
- Smart Growth NJ August 2011 Poll Report
- Assessment of Solar Siting in New Jersey 5-11 (Intern report)
- Presentation: Land Preservation Using Off-site Clustering 03-19-11
