Senate Republican Leader Anthony M. Bucco has voiced strong opposition to a reported plan by Governor Murphy and Democratic lawmakers in Trenton to push for a 100% renewable energy mandate in New Jersey during the upcoming lame-duck legislative session. The comments follow a report from POLITICO that details these plans.
“Trenton Democrats’ top-down mandate for 100% renewable energy is the absolute wrong direction if we want to lower energy costs for New Jersey families and businesses,” said Sen. Bucco. “This will only widen the gap between New Jersey’s demand and supply, pushing prices even higher and further threatening our grid’s reliability.”
Bucco criticized the current energy policies, stating they have already led to increased energy bills and concerns about power grid stability. He pointed out that these issues are affecting residents across the state.
“We’re seeing the consequences of how these hyper-partisan energy policies play out in real time and Democrats STILL want to force their fantasy agenda—it is absolutely outrageous. Businesses can’t compete or sustain jobs, seniors are being forced to choose between buying medicines or paying electric bills, and low-income families are struggling to make ends meet. If you’re looking for an answer to why your energy bills are so high, look no further. Trenton Democrats have learned nothing from their failed energy policies.”
Earlier this year, non-partisan experts at legislative hearings warned that current administration policies could lead to higher costs and greater risks to grid reliability.
“Having seen the impact of this Administration’s policies and then proposing to wait until after the election to jam through a radical plan that will jack up energy rates even higher is appalling. Trenton Democrats need to stop making decisions based on ideology and start listening to the voices of our regulated utilities, bipartisan energy experts, and the engineers who run our power grid.”
Bucco also raised concerns about proposals for New Jersey to leave its 13-state regional power grid in favor of establishing a state-run system, which he argued could be influenced by political interests.
“The solution is simple: we need a responsible, balanced energy strategy that embraces a diversified portfolio of nuclear, natural gas, and renewables to ensure affordability, reliability, and environmental stewardship,” Bucco concluded.
