2. In order to facilitate compliance with Section 182(d)(1) of the Clean Air Act as amended by Pub.L. 104-70, requiring that the State of New Jersey achieve emission reductions equivalent to those that would have been achieved with the provisions of the State Implementation Plan which are to be removed pursuant to this 1996 amendatory and supplementary act requiring employers to reduce work-related vehicle trips and miles traveled by employees, and to take steps to continue the congestion reduction measures as provided in P.L.1992, c.32 (C. 27:26A-1 et seq.): a. The Commissioner of Transportation, in consultation with the Commissioner of Environmental Protection, is authorized to adopt rules and regulations pursuant to the “Administrative Procedure Act,” P.L.1968, c.410 (C. 52:14B-1 et seq.), continuing the Travel Demand Management Program established pursuant to section 5 of P.L.1992, c.32 (C. 27:26A-5) but only to the extent authorized by this 1996 amendatory and supplementary act. The program shall continue the studies and transportation control measures provided in section 4 of P.L.1992, c.32 (C. 27:26A-4) and in lieu of the mandatory compliance plans required by section 5 of P.L.1992, c.32 (C. 27:26A-5), repealed by this 1996 amendatory and supplementary act, the program shall establish a voluntary employer trip reduction program. The regulations may continue or revise the definitions and other provisions contained in the regulations establishing the mandatory employer trip reduction program, N.J.A.C. 16:50-1.1, as appropriate for a voluntary program.
b. The Commissioner of Environmental Protection shall report to the Legislature not later than 180 days after the effective date of this 1996 amendatory and supplementary act, as to what measures the commissioner proposes to recommend to ensure the State’s compliance with the Clean Air Act, in light of the statutory provisions repealed by this 1996 amendatory and supplementary act, accompanying the report with drafts of any legislative bills which the commissioner proposes for consideration by the Legislature if, in the commissioner’s opinion, any such bills are required for this purpose.
L.1996,c.121,s.2.