
On Tuesday, July 26, the first of three hearings took place in order to discuss the state's long term energy plan, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
According to the news source, more than 150 advocates and opponents of the plan packed into the room to praise it for installing solar panels on brownfields and landfills as well as criticize it for falling short on promoting more efficient energy.
The hearings aim to listen to suggestions from the public and use them in the final plan, which could be adopted as soon as the end of this year. Every three years, New Jersey reassesses its energy plan to stay current with technologies, the news outlet stated.
Governor Chris Christie's new energy plan promotes renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, but also left nuclear power as a plausible energy choice, as the region's current nuclear reactor will be retired in eight years.
The plan calls for 22.5 percent of all energy to be derived from renewable sources by 2021.
According to My Central Jersey, opponents of the plan were mostly environmentalists who thought the governor's plan was not doing enough to promote sustainability efforts.

