2017 New Jersey Revised Statutes
TITLE 26 - HEALTH AND VITAL STATISTICS
Section 26:2C-47 - Actions of department relative to allowances; report to Governor, Legislature.

26:2C-47 Actions of department relative to allowances; report to Governor, Legislature.

3. a. (1) The department, by rule or regulation adopted pursuant to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), shall take any measures necessary to sell, exchange, retire, assign, allocate, or auction any or all allowances that are created by, budgeted to, or otherwise obtained by the State in furtherance of any greenhouse gas emissions allowance trading program implemented to reduce or prevent emissions of greenhouse gases. The department shall take into consideration the principles and goals of the New Jersey Energy Master Plan in the rule making process. The department may exercise this authority in cooperation and coordination with other states or countries that are participating in regional, national or international carbon dioxide emissions trading programs with the same or similar purpose. In exercising this authority, the department shall exclude from the requirement to purchase or acquire any allowances under any greenhouse gas emissions trading program any cogeneration facility or combined heat and power facility that is an "on-site generation facility" as that term is defined in section 3 of P.L.1999, c.23 (C.48:3-51) and sells less than 10 percent of its annual gross electrical generation.

(2) Approval and notice by the department of specific procedures and requirements for any auction or other sale of allowances which are formulated by a for-profit or non-profit corporation, association or organization which the department and the board are authorized to participate in pursuant to section 11 of P.L.2007, c.340 (C.26:2C-55) shall not be subject to the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), provided that the specific procedures and requirements are consistent with the process and general requirements outlined in regulations adopted by the department, and the public is afforded an opportunity for review and comment on such specific procedures and requirements.

b. If the rules or regulations adopted by the department pursuant to subsection a. of this section convey allowances utilizing an auction, then any auction:

(1) shall be conducted based on the schedule and frequency adopted by the department in consultation with other entities participating in a regional program;

(2) shall include the sale of allowances for current and future compliance periods to promote transparency and price stability;

(3) shall include auction design elements that minimize allowance price volatility, guard against bidder collusion, and mitigate the potential for market manipulation;

(4) shall include provisions to address, and to the extent practicable minimize, the potential for allowance market price volatility during the initial control period of a greenhouse gas emissions allowance trading program;

(5) shall include provisions to ensure the continued market availability of allowances to entities regulated under a greenhouse gas emissions allowance trading program, taking into account the outcomes of auctions and monitoring of the allowance market, which may include the adoption of a flexible process that allows for ongoing modification of auction design and procedures in response to allowance market conditions and allowance market monitoring data, provided that the process allows for public comment and input; and

(6) may be open to all qualified participants, and all qualified participants may sell or otherwise agree to transfer any or all allowances to any eligible entity.

c. The department shall review its position with any regional auction on an annual basis, including the amount of allowances that should be included in a regional auction. This annual review shall include consideration of the environmental and economic impact of the auction, leakage impacts, and the impact on electric generation facilities and ratepayers in the State. The department shall submit a written report of this review to the Governor and to the Legislature pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1). The report shall also be posted on the department's website.

L.2007, c.340, s.3.