Establishes Office of Energy Generation Ombudsman in Department of Treasury; requires State agencies to prioritize permit review and approval process for projects that result in increased electricity production.

A4020

ASSEMBLY, No. 4020

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 12, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman� ALEX SAUICKIE

District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman Fantasia

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes Office of Energy Generation Ombudsman in
Department of Treasury; requires State agencies to prioritize permit review and
approval process for projects that result in increased electricity production.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

establishing an Office of the Energy Generation
Ombudsman in the Department of the Treasury, requiring State agencies to
prioritize review and approval of certain energy projects, and supplementing
Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� a.� There is established
in the Department of the Treasury the Office of the Energy Generation
Ombudsman.� The purpose of the Office of the Energy Generation Ombudsman shall serve
as a resource to provide informational and support services to energy producers
in the State regarding rules and regulations governing energy generation,
provide dispute resolution services between State agencies and applicants of
energy generation permits, and develop best practices for the permitting of
energy generation throughout the State.

���� b.� The Treasurer shall
appoint an Energy Generation Ombudsman, who shall be qualified by training and
experience to perform the duties of the office.� The ombudsman shall be a
person of recognized judgment, integrity, and objectivity, and shall be skilled
in communication, conflict resolution, and professionalism.

���� c.� The ombudsman shall
organize and direct the work of the office, including the work of such
professional and clerical staff as may be necessary to carry out the
ombudsman's duties.

���� 2.��� a.� The duties of the
Energy Generation Ombudsman shall include, but need not be limited to, the
following:

���� (1) to serve as a source of
information and assistance for energy producers in the State to navigate local,
State, and federal laws and regulations governing energy generation;

���� (2) to provide advice and
assistance on the process of obtaining and renewing permits of any kind
relating to energy generation;

���� (3) to
monitor
the permit processing practices for energy generation projects issued by State
agencies and local government units
;

���� (4) to oversee State agencies
in accordance with the provisions of section 3 of P.L.��� , c.���� (C.������� )
(pending before the Legislature as this bill);

���� (5) to gather information from
energy producers and prospective energy producers on impediments to energy
generation in the State;

���� (6) to identify patterns of
complaints that emerge regarding the permitting processes related to energy
generation facilities;

���� (7) to assist the Department
of the Treasury in developing and disseminating information to acquaint and
educate energy producers and prospective energy producers about the services
offered by the Office of the Energy Generation Ombudsman; and

���� (8) to serve as a resource for
energy generation-related information and referral to other available programs
and services for energy producers and prospective energy producers in the
State.

���� b.� The ombudsman shall treat
communications received in the course of the ombudsman's duties, including
personally identifiable information regarding energy producers, potential
energy producers, and others from whom information is acquired, as
confidential, except when disclosure is necessary to enable the ombudsman to
perform the duties of the office and consent for disclosure is obtained.� Upon
receipt of information that is confidential or privileged by law, the ombudsman
shall maintain the confidentiality of the information and shall not disclose or
disseminate the information except as provided by applicable State or federal
law.

���� 3.��� a.� As used in this
section:

���� �Approval� means any
waterfront development permit issued pursuant to R.S.12:5-1 et seq., permit
issued pursuant to �The Wetlands Act of 1970,� P.L.1970, c.272 (C.13:9A-1 et
seq.), permit issued pursuant to the �Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act,�
P.L.1987, c.156 (C.13:9B-1 et seq.), approval of an application for development
granted by the Delaware and Raritan Canal Commission pursuant to the �Delaware
and Raritan Canal State Park Law of 1974,� P.L.1974, c.118 (C.13:13A-1 et
seq.), permit issued pursuant to the �Hackensack Meadowlands Reclamation and
Development Act,� P.L.1968, c.404 (C.13:17-1 et al.), approval of an
application for development granted by the Pinelands Commission and
determination of municipal and county plan conformance pursuant to the �Pinelands
Protection Act,� P.L.1979, c.111 (C.13:18A-1 et seq.), permit issued and center
designations pursuant to the �Coastal Area Facility Review Act,� P.L.1973,
c.185 (C.13:19-1 et seq.), septic approval granted pursuant to Title 26 of the
Revised Statutes, permit granted pursuant to R.S.27:7-1 et seq. or any
supplement thereto, right-of-way permit issued by the Department of
Transportation pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection (h) of section 5 of
P.L.1966, c.301 (C.27:1A-5), approval granted by a sewerage authority pursuant
to the �sewerage authorities law,� P.L.1946, c.138 (C.40:14A-1 et seq.), permit
granted pursuant to the �State Uniform Construction Code Act,� P.L.1975, c.217
(C.52:27D-119 et seq.), plan endorsement and center designations pursuant to
the �State Planning Act,� P.L.1985, c.398 (C.52:18A-196 et al.), permit or
certification issued pursuant to the �Water Supply Management Act,� P.L.1981,
c.262 (C.58:1A-1 et al.), permit granted authorizing the drilling of a well
pursuant to P.L.1947, c.377 (C.58:4A-5 et seq.), certification or permit
granted, exemption from a sewerage connection ban granted, wastewater
management plan approved, and pollution discharge elimination system permit
pursuant to the �Water Pollution Control Act,� P.L.1977, c.74 (C.58:10A-1 et
seq.), certification granted pursuant to �The Realty Improvement Sewerage and
Facilities Act (1954),� P.L.1954, c.199 (C.58:11-23 et seq.), certification or
approval granted pursuant to P.L.1971, c.386 (C.58:11-25.1 et al.),
certification issued and water quality management plan approved pursuant to the
�Water Quality Planning Act,� P.L.1977, c.75 (C.58:11A-1 et seq.), approval
granted pursuant to the �Safe Drinking Water Act,� P.L.1977, c.224 (C.58:12A-1
et seq.), permit issued pursuant to the �Flood Hazard Area Control Act,�
P.L.1962, c.19 (C.58:16A-50 et seq.), or other approval or permit granted by a
State agency under the general authority conferred by State law or rule or
regulation.

���� �State agency� means any
department, agency, authority, or instrumentality of this State or of this State
in conjunction with any other state.

���� b.� Notwithstanding the
provisions of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, a State agency
shall give the highest priority to the review and approval of any development
or other project, which will result in an increased amount of electric energy
produced and made available to the electricity transmission and distribution
system in the State, including, but not limited to, the construction of a new
electric power generating station.

���� 4.��� The Office of Energy
Generation Ombudsman shall prepare an annual report to be annually submitted to
the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to
the Legislature, that shall include a summary of the services the ombudsman
provided during the year, recommendations on changes to the existing laws,
rules, regulations, programs, policies, and initiatives of the Department of
the Treasury, Department of Environmental Protection, Board of Public
Utilities, any other department or agency of State government, or any local organization,
as appropriate, that concern energy generation.� The recommendations shall aim
to promote energy efficiency projects or promote the expansion of energy
generation Statewide.� The ombudsman may provide any other specific
recommendations the ombudsman deems appropriate and necessary.

���� 5.��� The Department of the
Treasury shall, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure
Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations as
necessary to implement this act.

���� 6.� This act shall take effect
immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill would establish the
Office of the Energy Generation Ombudsman in the Department of the Treasury.�
The purpose of the Office of the Energy Generation Ombudsman would be to: serve
as a resource to provide informational and support services to energy producers
in the State regarding rules and regulations governing energy generation,
provide dispute resolution services between State agencies and applicants of
energy generation permits, and develop best practices for the permitting of
energy generation throughout the State.

���� Under the bill, the duties of
the Energy Generation Ombudsman would include, but not be limited to: (1)
serving as a source of information and assistance for energy producers in the
State to navigate local, State, and federal laws and regulations governing
energy generation; (2) providing advice and assistance on the process of
obtaining and renewing permits of any kind relating to energy generation; (3) monitoring
the permit processing practices for energy generation projects issued by State
agencies and local government units; (4) overseeing State agencies to ensure
prioritization of energy generation projects; (5) gathering information from
energy producers and prospective energy producers on impediments to energy
generation in the State; (6) identifying patterns of complaints that emerge
regarding the permitting processes related to energy generation facilities; (7)
assisting the Department of the Treasury in developing and disseminating
information to acquaint and educate energy producers and prospective energy
producers about the services offered by the Office of Energy Generation
Ombudsman; and (8) serving as a resource for energy generation-related
information and referral to other available programs and services for energy
producers and prospective energy producers in the State.

���� This bill would require State
agencies to prioritize the review and approval process for permits and other
authorizations for projects that would result in an increased amount of
electric energy produced and made available to the electricity transmission and
distribution system in the State.� The bill would apply broadly to any approval
or permit granted by a State agency and would explicitly include a variety of
environmental permits and permits issued by the Department of Community Affairs
pursuant to the State�s Uniform Construction Code.

���� Finally, the bill would
require the Office of Energy Generation Ombudsman to make an annual report to
the Governor and the Legislature that would include a summary of the services
the ombudsman provided during the year, recommendations on changes to the existing
laws, rules, regulations, programs, policies, and initiatives of the Department
of the Treasury, Department of Environmental Protection, Board of Public
Utilities, and any other department or agency of State government or any local
organization, as appropriate, that concern energy generation and any other specific
recommendations the ombudsman deems appropriate and necessary.