TRENTON, NJ — On June 8, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved Community Energy Plan Grants for 46 municipalities throughout New Jersey, totaling $820,000. In late 2021, the board redesigned the program to incorporate a greater emphasis on equity and overburdened municipalities. The redesigned program also simplified the grant application process and reduced barriers to program utilization.
In Essex County, Irvington, Newark and Orange each received $25,000; and Maplewood received $10,000.
The CEPG program empowers local communities to create community energy plans that align with the state’s Energy Master Plan, the roadmap to reaching Gov. Phil Murphy’s goal of 100-percent clean energy by 2050. The program encourages communities to create localized community energy plans to combat climate change with a specific focus on equitable access, energy resilience, renewable energy and efficiency.
“After redesigning the program, we received a strong response to the grant from dozens of communities all across New Jersey,” NJBPU President Joseph L. Fiordaliso said. “This program brings activities to combat climate change to the local level, especially in overburdened municipalities which have often borne the brunt of pollution.”
“Municipalities have tremendous authority over our energy future,” Sustainable Jersey Executive Director Randall Solomon said. “We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Board of Public Utilities to create a program that helps municipalities comprehensively identify and implement strategies to address climate change and build a sustainable energy future.”
Sustainable Jersey will be providing technical assistance to grant applicants and in the creation of community energy plans for overburdened municipalities.
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