Murphy Administration Approves Floating Solar Farms on Drinking Water Reservoir, What Could Go Wrong?

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TRENTON — New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and his administration are pushing forward with their latest clean energy proposal: A massive solar farm floating in the water of a North Jersey reservoir that provides drinking water.

What could go wrong?

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities on Wednesday approved a long-sought waiver allowing the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission and Nexamp Solar, LLC to move forward with a 10-megawatt floating solar installation on the Wanaque Reservoir in Passaic County under the state’s Competitive Solar Incentive (CSI) Program.

The approval, issued under Docket No. QW25040187, grants an exemption to the state’s prohibition on solar development in the Highlands Preservation Area, following updated documentation,…