Governor Murphy Announces New Incentive to Support Solar Energy Development, Information Hub to Aid Municipalities and Developers with Solar Projects

Governor Phil Murphy announced the launch of a new website that will serve as a one-stop shop to guide municipalities and solar developers as they plan, fund, and complete solar plus landfill capping projects. The Governor also signed legislation, A4619/S3479, enhancing the Historic Property Reinvestment Act and the Brownfields Redevelopment Incentive Program Act to support historic preservation and further incentivize the redevelopment of brownfields across New Jersey into new solar energy facilities.

“In New Jersey, we have set the ambitious goal of delivering a 100 percent green economy because we know how important it is to build a strong foundation for renewable energy, combating the imminent threat of climate change and propelling our state forward. My Administration has pursued innovative strategies to reduce our carbon footprint by shifting away from fossil fuels and uplifting renewable resources. These policies represent an investment into our residents and our communities by prioritizing public health, spurring economic development, and creating good-paying jobs,” said Governor Murphy. “With the launch of the Landfill to Solar website, we are putting all our resources in one place so municipalities and developers can leverage otherwise unusable land into renewable energy sites. We are also expanding tax credits under the Economic Development Authority’s Historic Property Reinvestment Act and Brownfields Redevelopment Program Act so that we can preserve New Jersey’s communities while promoting environmental cleanup and green energy production. Today’s bill signing will ensure future generations can celebrate the rich history of our state while living in a greener, healthier environment.”

The new Landfill to Solar website, created by the Governor’s Office of Climate Action and the Green Economy, brings together resources from New Jersey’s Board of Public Utilities (BPU), Economic Development Authority (EDA), and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to provide both municipal governments and solar developers with a step-by-step guide to initiating and completing solar projects. Advancing resources such as the landfill solar information hub is a primary component of the Murphy Administration’s whole-of-government approach to reducing emissions, developing clean energy, growing economic development, increasing affordability, and revitalizing communities.

The site highlights DEP’s Solar Siting Analysis Mapping Tool to help identify eligible landfill sites in municipalities across New Jersey and provides streamlined instructions on how to apply for incentive programs made available through the state. This includes EDA’s Brownfields Redevelopment Incentive Program Act as well as BPU’s Community Solar Energy Program (CSEP) and Competitive Solar Incentive (CSI) program. New Jersey’s solar programs provide incentives tailored to the needs of different projects, further enabling the continued growth of the solar industry at a lower cost to ratepayers. At their September 4 board meeting, BPU adopted rules for the permanent Community Solar Energy Program and proposed changes to allow for the co-location of projects on uncapped, municipally-owned landfills up to a total size of 10-megawatts.

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Governor Murphy Signs Bipartisan Legislation Expanding Sexual Assault Victim’s Bill of Rights

Governor Phil Murphy signed S1017/A3748 into law, requiring that victims of sexual assault be notified of certain developments concerning the evidence in their respective cases. This legislation expands New Jersey’s existing Sexual Assault Victim’s Bill of Rights, ensuring survivors are granted the updates to which they are entitled.

The Sexual Assault Victim’s Bill of Rights was enacted in 2019 to outline basic protections and fundamental rights for sexual assault survivors. It guarantees that allegations be treated with dignity and compassion, as well as several other entitlements and protections to be granted throughout investigation proceedings.

“We commend the courage and bravery exhibited by sexual assault survivors that have come forward and we are here to support them on every step of their journeys to justice,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “This bipartisan legislation increases transparency with law enforcement to ensure a victim-centered approach and guarantee that survivors and their cases are treated with the care and consideration they deserve. I am proud to sign this bill into law, marking another step forward in building a safer, fairer New Jersey for all.”

“Victims of sexual assault have a right to know the details of their cases. New Jersey’s survivor-centered, trauma-informed policies have already made great strides in making our criminal justice system more accessible to survivors,” said Attorney General Platkin. “With this critical legislation, Governor Murphy and the Legislature are not only increasing our chances of successfully prosecuting sexual violence offenders and diminishing their threat to public safety, they are also helping to increase survivors’ trust in our justice system.”

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New Jersey Department of Education Receives $50 Million Grant from U.S. Department of Education to Support Literacy

The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) has been awarded $50 million over a five-year period in a new Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grant from the U.S. Department of Education. This grant will support New Jersey school communities in advancing literacy skills — including pre-literacy skills, reading, and writing — for children throughout their academic careers, with an emphasis on closing achievement and opportunity gaps.

As one of 23 state educational agencies receiving funding, New Jersey has been awarded the largest Year 1 grant in the largest-ever round of CLSD grant awards. This grant will significantly expand the development and implementation of evidence-based literacy programs to ensure students achieve key milestones, such as reading on grade level by third grade — a critical predictor of future academic success.

The grant will also promote equitable access to high-quality literacy instruction to close opportunity and achievement gaps for historically underserved student groups, establish an NJDOE advisory council devoted to developing and implementing a comprehensive state literacy plan, implement a statewide coaching network, and provide subgrants to high-need local education agencies for professional learning aligned with evidence-based reading instruction.

“New Jersey has always been a leader in education, and this grant from the U.S. Department of Education is a powerful affirmation of our commitment to excellence,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “The grant will supercharge our critical investment into the future of our students and our state. By enhancing literacy programs and providing equitable access to high-quality education, we are not only helping our children reach key academic milestones but also setting them up for lifelong success.”

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NJ Human Services Awards Grants to Support Community-based Housing for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Commissioner Sarah Adelman announced that Human Services has awarded over $3.4 million in grants to develop community-based housing to meet the needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are transitioning out of nursing homes and other qualified institutions.

“This funding will provide highly-specialized support to meet the complex needs of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are transitioning out of nursing facilities, adding to the nearly 28,000 adults with IDD that Human Services serves in the community today,” Commissioner Adelman said. "Empowering individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to transition from institutions to community living isn’t just a change in location—it’s about supporting their independence and their right to make their own choices. We look forward to working together with the selected community providers on this initiative.”

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AG Platkin Returns to Federal Courts to Support Title IX

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced that New Jersey, California, and Pennsylvania co-led two amicus briefs on behalf of a multistate coalition in federal appellate courts to further defend Title IX’s protections of all students, including LGBTQ+ students, from gender-based harassment and sex discrimination, and to reverse a preliminary injunction that could affect certain schools in their states.

Attorney General Platkin, the Division on Civil Rights (DCR), and their state partners are seeking to protect the rights of students in schools and colleges nationwide from federal court challenges to the U.S. Department of Education’s Final Rule, Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance. The Final Rule explicitly protects LGBTQ+ students from sex discrimination and harassment based on sexual orientation or gender identity and reverses the prior administration’s 2020 Rule that rolled back Title IX’s sexual harassment protections for all students.

“In a free and fair country, all students should be protected from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity,” said Attorney General Platkin. “All students deserve and are entitled to protection from harassment and harm in school. The science is clear that a hostile educational environment has numerous negative impacts on LGTBQ+ youth, and we will keep fighting for these students, no matter where they go to school.”

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