ASSEMBLY AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 4688

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MAY 4, 2026

      The Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 4688.

      As amended, this bill would amend section 1 of P.L.2009, c.213 (C.4:1C-32.4), which authorizes the construction of biomass, solar, and wind energy facilities, structures, and equipment on preserved farmland, in order to exempt facilities, structures, and equipment that are located on rooftops or exception areas from the requirement that they be limited: (1) in annual energy generation capacity to the previous calendar year’s energy demand plus 10 percent; or (2) to occupying no more than one percent of the area of the entire farm.  Under this bill, biomass, solar, and wind energy facilities, structures, and equipment that are located on a rooftop or in an exception area would not be subject to these statutory size restrictions.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amended the bill to remove from the bill language exempting unpreserved farmland from the existing statutory energy generation capacity restrictions.