New Jersey would have enough offshore wind turbines to power more than 3 million homes in the state by 2035 in a solicitation plan offered by Gov. Phil Murphy. The state’s scheduled offshore wind solicitations would take place every other year over the next 15 years to put in place an offshore wind capacity of 7,500 megawatts. North-JerseyNews.com
As one person in New Jersey was awaiting the results of a coronavirus test, state officials said more tests were likely to happen in the coming days. While no confirmed cases of the virus have been reported in the Garden State so far, officials are projecting the outbreak to spread to New Jersey at some point. NJ.com
Meanwhile, Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration is requesting more testing kits from the the federal government to prepare for a coronavirus outbreak. Federal officials acknowledged states would need a financial “backstop” if the coronavirus spreads, and may require support in obtaining medical supplies—including coronavirus testing kits—in the coming weeks. PoliticoNJ
Former Democratic Presidential candidates Amy Klobuchar, Beto O’Rourke and Pete Buttigieg threw their support behind Joe Biden, giving him a boost ahead of the Super Tuesday primaries. Buttigieg said Biden would “restore the soul” of the nation as president, while Klobuchar stated the former vice president would “bring our country together” and restore “decency and dignity” to the presidency. The New York Times
Builders will be required to construct major developments using green infrastructure to cut down on runoff polluting New Jersey’s rivers, lakes and other bodies of water under a set of rules adopted March 2. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Catherine McCabe said her agency is working on a second set of rules to address concerns raised by the federal government to better protect the environment and make “the state more resilient to the impacts of climate change.” The Daily Record
Nearly 80 Hoboken City Hall employees received notice of potential layoffs Feb. 27 as the city tries to fill a $7 million budget deficit. Any layoffs would be effective after May 7, according to the notice. The deficit is largely a result of cost increases in services such as health care and pensions, according to city officials. The Jersey Journal
Sen. Cory Booker called a two-state solution as the “only pathway to a lasting peace” for Israel. Speaking at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference, Booker stated tradition demands an independent Palestinian state alongside the Jewish one and for Israel and the U.S. to be lights among all nations. NJ.com
The final construction phase to improve the Route 3 and Route 46 interchange is underway. The project, which the New Jersey Department of Transportation expects to be completed in 2024, is an effort to transform the interchange by adding new bridges, roundabouts and lanes. The Record
New Jersey legislators are proposing a bill to strengthen data protections and impose tougher restrictions on the tech industry. The bill would require companies to obtain permission from New Jersey consumers before collecting and selling personal data to third parties and would apply to internet companies like Google and Facebook. The Wall Street Journal
Gov. Phil Murphy and former Gov. Chris Christie exchanged Tweets about budget matters and their accomplishments while in office. The back and forth started when Christie shared an editorial criticizing Murphy for wanting to raise taxes on people who earn more than $1 million a year and on cigarettes in his proposed budget. New Jersey Globe
And finally…Jersey City’s municipal clerk is retiring after 31 years. The Jersey Journal
