Climate Activists Call for Fossil Fuel Moratorium at State Energy Hearing

HACKENSACK, NJ – Dozens of community activists, local officials and statewide groups gathered for a press conference in Hackensack to call for an emergency moratorium on any new fossil fuel projects before a public hearing about the Murphy administration’s draft 2019 Energy Master Plan (EMP).

Members of the groups, some of whom also testified at the hearing, are active in EMPOWER NJ, a statewide coalition of over 90 organizations which has been calling on Governor Murphy to stop all 12 climate-disrupting fossil fuel projects that are either proposed or moving forward in the state.

“Having suffered through storms like Sandy and now facing 2 proposed fracked gas plants in the Meadowlands, Bergen County is ground zero in the fight for a healthy and livable future,” said Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D-37). “Our children and grandchildren deserve better. That’s why I’m calling on Governor Murphy to not just impose a moratorium on new fossil fuel projects in the state, but also accelerate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions this decade. I’m not a scientist but I know enough to listen to them, and they’re saying we need 45% cuts by 2030 to avert a climate catastrophe.”

“This is a critical time for New Jersey. According to the American Lung Association, residents are living in a state with the 10th worst air quality in the nation,” said Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese (D-36). “We need to move in the right direction and we need to do so now. It is going to take hard work from all of us in New Jersey — the Governor and his agencies, the Legislature, and our residents–to move with urgency towards our necessary goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving 100% clean energy.  I urge Governor Murphy and his administration to focus on moving the state to clean, renewable energy as quickly as possible.”

“The draft Energy Master Plan (EMP) calls for 6 months of ‘study’ before setting regulations on climate disrupting greenhouse gas pollution in New Jersey,” said Paula Rogovin, retired public school teacher and founder of the Coalition to Ban Unsafe Oil Trains. “As a teacher for decades, I believe in study, but carbon and methane pollution from burning fossil fuels has long been known to be a leading cause of our climate emergency. Now is the time for New Jersey to take decisive action. The EMP must include an immediate moratorium on fossil fuel expansion projects, strong regulations on greenhouse gas pollution, and a rapid and fair transition off fossil fuels and onto 100% clean renewable energy.”

“As a lifelong Hudson County resident and asthmatic, I’m extremely concerned about the continued development of polluting fossil fuel infrastructure like the dangerous and unnecessary Meadowlands power plant proposal,” said Roger Quesada, a resident of North Bergen.” Here in Hudson County we already have failing air quality from excessive smog pollution, and so many of our communities are in vulnerable coastal and flood prone areas. New Jersey is truly ground zero for the worst effects of climate change. Every day, species are going extinct and communities all over our state are increasingly at-risk for billions of dollars in property damage and economic turmoil. We need a sustainable, intelligently-designed energy grid powered by 100% clean renewable energy, and we need it now!”

The Board of Public Utilities convened the hearing to discuss the Murphy administration’s draft Energy Master Plan, which lays out a vision for making progress on reducing the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. Climate activists point out that the administration’s own clean energy goals would be virtually impossible to achieve if any new fossil fuel power plants and pipelines are built. The EMPOWER coalition also argues that the state must strengthen existing regulations in order to reduce emissions and other forms of air pollution.

The BPU has already held two stakeholder meetings (July 17 in Trenton and August 8 in Newark). Community groups urged the agency to hold additions meetings in order to give more residents an opportunity to offer feedback; in addition to tonight’s hearing in Hackensack, there will be a hearing in Toms River on Thursday, and two previously scheduled hearings in Camden later in the month.

Empower NJ is a coalition of dozens of environmental, citizen, faith, and progressive groups leading a grassroots campaign calling on Governor Murphy to act quickly on climate change by stopping all pending fossil fuel projects.

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