WHEREAS, a series of severe winter storms over the past several weeks consisting of snow accumulation, freezing rain, high winds and consistent freezing and sub-freezing temperatures have posed numerous risks and adverse life safety impacts upon the citizens of the State of New Jersey; and

WHEREAS, the extreme record cold temperatures, accompanied by severe wind chill factors and icy conditions have produced heavy residential and commercial usage of heat and electrical utilities which have resulted in electrical brownouts, stoppages and other heating shortages throughout the State; and

WHEREAS, the Board of Regulatory Commissioners is currently monitoring the energy supply shortage through its Emergency Information Center in order to keep apprised of and, disseminate to all relevant parties, the most current information regarding the energy shortage; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to law, the Acting Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection and Energy has made a finding that there exists an energy supply shortage of a dimension which endangers the public health, safety and welfare of all regions of the State;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHRISTINE TODD WHITMAN, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes of this State, do hereby ORDER and DIRECT as follows:

1. There is hereby declared a state of energy emergency for all heat and electrical utilities for the entire State.

2. All State agencies, boards, authorities and commissions shall immediately manage their facilities in such a manner as to reduce the use of electricity.

3. All local and county governmental entities are encouraged to reduce their electrical usage to only essential usage for the duration of this state of energy emergency.

4. All commercial, residential and industrial power consumers are encouraged to reduce their use of electricity during this state of energy emergency.

5. In order to facilitate the reduction of energy usage by all State agencies, boards, authorities and commissions, and in order to protect the safety of all State employees from hazard due to the severe ice and weather conditions, all non-essential State employees ("employees") are released from work today, January 19, 1994, pursuant to the following schedule:

A. Any employee whose normal work day ends at 4 p.m. may leave at 3 p.m.;

B. Any employee whose normal work day ends at 4:30 p.m. may leave at 3:30 p.m.; and

C. Any employee whose normal work day ends at 5 p.m. may leave at 4 p.m.

6. This state of energy emergency shall remain in effect until it is rescinded by issuance of a subsequent Executive Order declaring that the state of energy emergency has terminated.

7. This Order shall take effect immediately.

GIVEN, under my hand and seal,
this 19th day of January in the Year
of Our Lord, one thousand nine hundred
and ninety-four, and of the Independence
of the United States, the two hundred
and eighteenth.

/s/ Christine Todd Whitman
Governor

Attest:

/s/Peter Verniero
Chief Counsel to the Governor