Murphy Signs GreenScam Bill: Undermines Clean Energy

Governor Murphy has signed S2314 (Sweeney)/ A3723 (McKeon). The bill aims to establish and modify clean energy and energy efficiency programs and modify State’s solar renewable energy portfolio standards. This bill will lead to an overall undermining of renewable energy efforts in New Jersey. Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, released the following statement:

“Today Governor Murphy has sold out the ratepayers by signing this greenscam bill. The only reason this bill exists is to give greencover to the giant nuclear subsidy that he also signed. This bill isn’t about promoting renewable energy since it will actually block us from reaching our clean energy goals. Under this program we’ll be building less solar than we do now since we’ll be tied to the minimum of 40% nuclear power. This bill will block renewable energy development in New Jersey, moving us backwards in our battle for green jobs and clean energy. We won’t be able to reach our 2030 goal for 50% renewable energy, let alone our 2050 goal for 100%.

“There is no cap for coal, oil, gas, pipelines, or nuclear but this bill unfairly targets renewable energy by placing a cap on it, limiting the amount of renewable energy we can use in the state. Our concern is the cost of solar SREC program, which have been analyzed to take up 6% of the cap, whether it’s a 7% or 9% cap. The reason why we will not reach our renewable energy goals is because OLS says that in 2020 the cost of our RPS will exceed the cap by $280 million. This means the BPU will set aside the Renewable Portfolio Standard for that year. This leaves no room for New Jersey to move forward to meet targets of the Renewable Portfolio Standard (50% by 2030).

“A year after signing this bill, the solar program will end. Despite once being a leader in the country for solar power, our state solar market will collapse completely, no longer accepting applications for solar projects. This could lead to the bankrupting of countless renewable energy projects costing thousands of clean energy jobs. Solar power provides more jobs than any other energy sector and is a clean, cheap way to use renewable energy. This bill is a clean energy disaster that will put a wrench in our plans to make New Jersey cleaner and greener by destroying the solar markert altogether. This is a shameful dirty deal that’s become a dirty game to undermine renewable energy at the expense of the ratepayers.

“The Governor’s office and Legislature leaders have already said they need a Fix Bill to deal with the damage done by this bill. If they have so much to fix in it, why did they pass it? This is pass-first, fix-later legislation that makes no sense. This shows how much of a scam this bill is. It’s only cover to get the nuclear subsidy bill passed. We are greatly disappointed by Governor Murphy signing this bill that directly undermines his clean energy goals for New Jersey. The only thing green about it is the money they will make off the subsidies for their nuclear plants.

“By signing this bill, Murphy has signed away green jobs in New Jersey. He signed away renewable energy and the change to have a green future. The Governor has strong goals for renewable energy but by signing this bill, we’ll see more power plants and fossil fuel infrastructure like the one proposed in the Meadowlands. We worked with the Governor’s office to suggest amendments to make the bill stronger and better for clean energy, but they didn’t listen. Instead, we have a law that creates the mirage of clean energy while actually stalling those efforts, moving New Jersey and our environment backwards. All they’re doing with this bill is enriching PSEG at the expense of clean energy.”