New Jersey § 52:27f-14

§ 52:27f-14.

a. There is established an Energy Master Plan Committee (hereinafter “Committee”) which

shall be composed of the heads of the following principal departments or their designees:

Commerce, Energy and Economic Development; Community Affairs; Environmental Protection;

Health; Human Services; Transportation; and Treasury. The Commissioner of Commerce, Energy and Economic Development or his designee shall

be the chairperson of the committee. The committee shall be responsible for the preparation, adoption and revision of

master plans regarding the production, distribution, and conservation of energy in

this State. b. The committee within one year of the effective date of this act shall prepare or cause to be prepared,

and, after public hearings as hereinafter provided, adopt a master plan for a period

of 10 years on the production, distribution, consumption and conservation of energy

in this State. Such plan shall be revised and updated at least once every three years. The plan shall include long-term objectives but shall provide for the interim implementation

of measures consistent with said objectives. The committee may from time to time and after public hearings amend the master plan. In preparing the master plan or any portion thereof or amendment thereto the department

shall give due consideration to the energy needs and supplies in the several geographic

areas of the State, and shall consult and cooperate with any federal or State agency

having an interest in the production, distribution, consumption or conservation of

energy. c. Upon preparation of such master plan, and each revision thereof, the committee shall cause copies thereof to be printed, shall transmit sufficient copies thereof

to the Governor and the Legislature, for the use of the members thereof, and shall

advertise, in such newspapers as the commissioner determines appropriate to reach

the greatest possible number of citizens of New Jersey, the existence and availability

of such draft plan from the offices of the committee for the use of such citizens as may request same. In addition, the department shall: (1) Fix dates for the commencement of a series of public hearings, at least one of

which shall be held in each geographical area delineated in the master plan. Each such public hearing shall concern the overall content of the plan and those

aspects thereof that have relevance to the specific geographical area in which each

such public hearing is being held; (2) At least 60 days prior to each public hearing held pursuant to this section, notify

each energy industry and each State department, commission, authority, council, agency,

or board charged with the regulation, supervision or control of any business, industry

or utility engaged in the production, processing, distribution, transmission, or storage

of energy in any form of the time and place for the hearing and shall publish such

notice in a newspaper of general circulation in the region where the hearing is to

be held, and in such newspapers of general circulation in the State as the commissioner

determines appropriate to reach the greatest possible number of citizens of New Jersey. d. Upon the completion of the requirements of subsection c. of this section, the committee shall consider the testimony presented at all such public hearings and adopt the

energy master plan, together with any additions, deletions, or revisions it shall

deem appropriate. e. Upon the adoption of the energy master plan, and upon each revision thereof, the committee shall cause copies thereof to be printed and shall transmit sufficient copies thereof

to the Governor and the Legislature, for the use of the members thereof, and to each

State department, commission, authority, council, agency, or board charged with the

regulation, supervision or control of any business, industry or utility engaged in

the production, processing, distribution, transmission, or storage of energy in any

form. In addition, the committee shall advertise in the manner provided in subsection c. of this section the existence and availability of the energy master plan from the

offices of the committee for the use of such citizens of New Jersey as may request same; provided, however,

that the committee may charge a fee for such copies of the energy master plan sufficient to cover the

costs of printing and distributing same.