November 2009
Monthly Archive
Its Official: We Helped Change the Law on Renewable Energy
Posted by robert.w.burke on 21 Nov 2009 | Tagged as: General
If you’ve been following along, you know that we’ve been lobbying Trenton to change the law so renewable energy has a leg up at local land use boards. I am proud to announce that one such bill, Senate Bill 1303, was signed into law yesterday. This new law gives wind turbines and solar panels the same status for zoning purposes as hospitals & day care centers. I testified before the Assembly Telecommunications & Utilities Committee regarding this legislation earlier this year and want to thank the Chair of that Committee, Assemblyman Upendra Chivikula, along with many others who made this a reality, including Assemblyman John McKeon. Republican Senators Kevin O’Toole, Bill Baroni & Jennifer Beck — important legislative leaders in our great State — each also played crucial roles.
Not surprisingly, the Township of Wayne passed a resolution just a couple of weeks ago opposing this legislation — all while the municipality of Ocean Gate, NJ built its own 120 foot, 50 kw wind turbine to power its municipal complex. Thanks to Ocean Gate Mayor Paul Kennedy, and long time resident Jim Frye, the Ocean Gate wind turbine now powers that town’s municipal complex with clean, renewable energy. Way to go Paul & Jim — your vision and leadership are what New Jersey local government so desperately needs.
On the other hand, I guess Wayne’s Town Council prefers an atmosphere that yields crazy behavior within its community, as reported on Fox 5 NY’s 10 pm news this past summer. Check out the arrest of Dr. Alan Bess of Westview Drive in connection with threats made about the proposed wind turbine at the car wash: