New Jersey is joining California in calling for a ban on the sale of gasoline-powered motor vehicles starting in 2035.

Unlike California’s plan, introduced by Gov. Newsom in a livestreamed press conference last month, the recommendation was included in a new report from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), commissioned by the state’s legislature to find ways to fight global warming.

New Jersey’s legislature passed the Global Warming Response Act (GWRA) in 2007 and updated the law in 2019. The “80/50 Report” was written in response to the mandate in GWRA to reduce New Jersey's greenhouse gas emissions by 80% from their 2006 levels by 2050. 

According to the state, the mandate serves as the third element of a comprehensive plan that evaluates New Jersey’s greenhouse gas emissions from both energy and non-energy systems.

“Currently, gasoline-fueled vehicles account for over 70% of the transportation sector’s emissions,” the report states. “The 2019 EMP least-cost scenario modeling, which assumed a 15-year lifecycle, calculated that 88% of new light-duty vehicle sales (passenger cars, SUVs and light-duty trucks) will need to be battery electric or hydrogen-powered by 2030, rising to 100% by 2035, in order to achieve the 80×50 goal.” 

The office of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy posted a press release on the report.

“The 80x50 Report is a call-to-action for all of us in government and in New Jersey to roll up our sleeves and craft the next generation of climate-focused laws and policies,” said Governor Murphy. “Our Administration has taken the climate crisis head-on since day one. But the challenge before us demands more. As we have learned from the crisis brought about by COVID-19, we cannot spare a moment in taking the necessary steps that will prepare us for this next crisis. Together, we will meet this moment.”

While the press release underscores the need to pursue new initiatives to reduce emissions, it does not specifically mention the gas-powered motor vehicle sales ban by 2035.