Following the May 23 Fusion Symposium that his office organized in Trenton, NJ, State Senator Joe Pennachio (R-26) is drafting and introducing into the NJ Senate a series of bills to aid fusion research. At the symposium, LPPFusion’s Lerner gave a presentation on a Faster Route to Fusion, advocating a crash program that funds all possible approaches to fusion. Specifically, Lerner proposed that the NJ government match dollar-for-dollar the funds raised by private NJ fusion companies. The proposal was based on an idea circulated by the Fusion Industries Association, which LPPFusion is a member of. The video is available on Vimeo.
Now, Sen. Pennachio has introduced three bills to aid fusion research: S-3946, which includes fusion within the definition of Class I renewable energy, like solar and wind energy; S-4045, which establishes a scholarship program for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the field of fusion science and SR-146, which urges Congress to increase funding for fusion energy research. Equally important, the Senator’s office is drafting a bill to create an incentive program to attract fusion technology business to NJ. We don’t know yet if the draft will include the matching funds idea. This important initiative could greatly aid LPPFusion’s efforts. We ask everyone to please send emails to Sen. Pennachio at SenPennacchio@njleg.org encouraging his work in supporting fusion and urging him to include dollar-for-dollar matching funds as one of the incentives for fusion technology businesses in NJ. Of course, if you live in NJ, or especially in the 26th Legislative district, mention that. But emails from all over are helpful.
