The state’s energy plan focuses on the move to renewable energy, but specifics about how that will happen and what the costs will be need to be pinned down.

Tom Johnson writes about New Jersey’s efforts to transition to clean energy and the state’s Energy Master Plan. "The plan’s core recommendations are well-known — shifting away from climate-changing fossil fuels by switching to renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power; a program to electrify the transportation sector; and to require gas and electric utilities to curb energy use by their customers."
The plan has not been released to the public yet, and the state has not yet outlined what the cost of these initiatives will mean for ratepayers. In the coming year, many outstanding issues will need to be resolved for the move to renewable energy, an expensive but necessary shift, notes Johnson.
"New Jersey has a 12-year-old law mandating it cut global warming emissions within the state by 80% below 2006 levels by 2050. Without shifting to a clean energy economy, the state could never achieve those goals," says Johnson.
FULL STORY: What Matters in 2020 as State Tries to Shift to Clean Energy? Money, for a Start

The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.

Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’
The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.

Push and Pull: The Link Between Walkability and Affordability
The increased demand for walkable urban spaces could make them more and more exclusionary if cities don’t pursue policies to limit displacement and boost affordability.

Tacoma Developing New Housing Policy
The city’s Home in Tacoma plan is designed to address the region’s growth and rising housing prices, but faces local backlash over density and affordability concerns.

Green Alleys: A New Paradigm for Stormwater Management
Rather than shuttling stormwater away from the city and into the ocean as quickly as possible, Los Angeles is now—slowly—moving toward a ‘city-as-sponge’ approach that would capture and reclaim more water to recharge crucial reservoirs.

Orange County Project Could Go Forward Under ‘Builder’s Remedy’
The nation’s largest home builder could receive approval for a 530-unit development under an obscure state law as the city of La Habra’s zoning laws hang in limbo after the state rejected its proposed housing plan.
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HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
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