Governor Urged To Do More Sooner at Toms River EMP Hearing

Scientists Say 100% Clean Energy by 2050 Isn’t Enough, 45% Cut in Emissions Needed by 2030

A broad range of environmental, citizen, and community groups on the front line fighting fossil fuel projects joined together at a press conference at the EMP hearing in Toms River today to push for renewable energy. The coalition is calling on the Murphy Administration to strengthen the EMP from 100% clean/carbon neutral energy by 2050 to 1) 100% renewable/zero carbon energy by 2050, 2) listen to the scientists and cut emissions by 45% by 2030, and 3) support a moratorium on new fossil fuel projects because we cannot wait until 2050.

“Nitrogen deposited from the atmosphere is one of Barnegat Bay’s biggest problems,” said William deCamp Jr., president of Save Barnegat Bay. “The bay urgently needs less fossil fuels burned on its shores, as some have proposed at Oyster Creek, or anyplace upwind of us.”

“The time for debate and half measures has long since passed. Climate change is real and already harming New Jersey’s natural resources and residents. We need aggressive and holistic climate action now! All promises laid out in the proposed energy master plan mean nothing if unnecessary and reckless fossil fuel projects continue to be approved and considered, such as the NESE pipeline which has absolutely no benefit for the state, or the communities of the Bayshore. For New Jersey to become the clean energy leader Governor Murphy envisions, we need to cut the cord on fossil fuels and focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy,” said Peter Blair, Policy Attorney for Clean Ocean Action.  

“The effects of climate change and sea level rise are already being felt by our coastal communities,” said Mike Castellano, Chair of the Jersey Shore Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. “To preserve our way of life that is the Jersey Shore, we need to say no to fossil fuel projects and get busy powering the future with renewable energy only!”

“Ocean County has already lived the devastating impacts of climate change first hand – SuperStorm Sandy destroying lives and property, putting Oyster Creek at risk, sea level rise, regular flooding and too much more. We can’t afford to make it worse so we can’t get off fossil and nuclear fuel fast enough. Governor Murphy’s draft plan is a step in the right direction but has to do a lot more a lot sooner. He has to listen to the scientists when they say we can’t wait until 2050 and have to reduce emissions by 45% by 2030. There’s so much to unpack in that but it has to start with not making things worse, no new fossil fuel projects,” said Clean Water Action NJ Board Chair Janet Tauro, whose Brick Twp. residence was inundated by Super Storm Sandy.

The Empower NJ coalition has serious concerns that Governor Phil Murphy’s Draft Energy Master Plan does not look at the sense of urgency on climate change. The plan does not address natural gas or any mention of a moratorium on fossil fuel projects. It fails to mention regulating C02, natural gas power plants and pipelines. It also fails to mention the 15 proposed fossil fuel projects in New Jersey. This means under the EMP, massive projects like the SRL pipeline in the Pinelands can still be built. Empower NJ’s top line talking points on the EMP are available at http://empowernewjersey.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/EMP-talking-points-b.pdf

There is one more Energy Master Plan hearing scheduled for Thursday, September 12^th in Camden. The hearing will start at 1 PM – 4 PM / 4:30 PM – 7:30 PM. It will be held at the Black Box Theater, The Kroc Center, 1865 Harrison Ave, Camden, NJ 08105. Comments are due to NJBPU by September 16, email: emp.comments@bpu.nj.gov.