Three state agencies will be asking the public how to use funds intended to advance clean energy and climate mitigation goals.

The three agencies – the Department of Environmental Protection, the Board of Public Utilities and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority – will jointly hold four webinars to seek comment.

The agencies will draft a plan for projects financed by proceeds from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a multistate group focused on clean energy and climate mitigation.

The Initiative is a cooperative effort of 11 states in New England and the Mid-Atlantic region. New Jersey has been a member since 2020.

The Initiative’s money comes from the auction of carbon dioxide emissions allowances to power plants that face requirements to reduce carbon dioxide emissions below a cap jointly set by the member states.

The goal is the reduction of emissions and the accumulation of capital that can be put toward projects that will advance the goal. It is a cap-and-invest arrangement, in which plants purchase allowances to help cover their emissions goals.

These projects are the subject of a scoping document that will be presented at webinars covering 2026 through 2028. The scoping document is available here. Beginning on page 20 is information on the four webinars at which the state is seeking public comment. One is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 21; others will be Sept. 8, 9 and 10.

After the public gets the chance to comment, the document will be updated, and a final funding plan will be issued this fall.

Cape May County residents have a fee for the Initiative fee on their monthly Atlantic City Electric bills. As a utility operating in an Initiative-participating state, ACE is allowed to recover its costs for complying with the group’s regulations through a charge on customer bills.

Contact the reporter, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.