SEASIDE HEIGHTS – Good news for those environmentally conscious motorists out there! Seaside Heights just received six new dual-port electric vehicle charging stations in the downtown area, announced Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe.
The charging stations were installed as part of an agreement with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to resolve air-monitoring issues in the borough. They also support Governor Phil Murphy’s plans to make New Jersey 100 percent clean energy by 2050.
“The benefits of driving electric are numerous and vital to the environment as well as quality of life,” Commissioner McCabe said. “The installation of these stations advances New Jersey’s commitment to protect public health by reducing harmful emissions from gasoline-powered vehicles, improving air quality, and developing renewable and clean energy.”
The installation of the charging stations comes out of a settlement agreement with the NJDEP reached in 2017 after DEP Air Compliance and Enforcement inspections found Ocean County “out of compliance with numerous emissions and monitoring requirements in the operation of three diesel generators at the intersection of Sherman Avenue and Bay Boulevard,” according to a NJDEP release. These generators provide power to the borough.
The settlement stipulated that the borough implement a Supplemental Environmental Project, for which they agreed to install the charging stations for a total of $71,700. The agreement also included a penalty of $95,600; the borough paid the $23,900 penalty balance to the state.
“This project is a win-win for the state, Seaside Heights and the public,” said Richelle Wormley, Acting Assistant Commissioner for Compliance and Enforcement. “The addition of these charging stations will bring attention to the growing need for charging infrastructure across New Jersey and give visitors to Seaside Heights the opportunity to enjoy the nearby attractions while charging their electric vehicles.”
The charging stations are dual-port, which means that each station can charge two vehicles simultaneously. Four charging stations are in the municipal lot at 55 Grant Ave., and two stations are in the Ocean Terrace lot at 21 Hancock Ave. All stations are located near the beach, boardwalk, and other attractions.
To charge your vehicle, the cost is $1.50 for the first hour, the $2 per hour after that. Electric vehicles will receive parking discounts at the lots. Electric vehicle owners can find the charging stations with the ChargePoint app. This app also allows you to track your vehicles’ battery percentage and the amount of greenhouse gas emissions avoided.
“It is unfortunate that the Borough of Seaside Heights unintentionally did not comply with certain conditions of our air quality permit as a result of equipment failures,” said Seaside Heights Borough Administrator Christopher Vaz. “The Borough strives to protect the environment, which includes both our air and water quality for our residents and those that vacation within our community. We were in a fortunate position to work with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and enter into an agreement that allowed us to install electrical vehicle charging stations within our community to further reduce air pollution. The Borough plans on continuing to install additional charging stations as funds become available.”
NJDEP estimates that by 2023, these six charging stations will have prevented “emissions of an estimated 300 pounds of volatile organic compounds that contribute to ground-level ozone formation, as well as about 50 tons of carbon dioxide, the most prevalent greenhouse gas.”
Imagine it like this: for each ton of carbon dioxide avoided, it is the same as planting 24 trees. This is significant because, according to Paul Baldauf, Assistant Commissioner for Air Quality, Energy and Sustainability, “Transportation is the single largest source of both traditional air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in the state.”
Throughout the state, there are over 600 public chargers at 250 locations. Five New Jersey highways also have been federally designated as “Electric Vehicle Corridors,” where fast chargers allow for easy electric travel.
For more information about Supplemental Environmental Projects t, visit nj.gov/dep/enforcement/seps.html.
For more information about electric vehicles, state and federal incentives, charging options and charging station locations, visit drivegreen.nj.gov.
