MURPHY BPU MANDATE OFFERS NJ CONSUMERS NO OTHER “CHOICE” THAN ELECTRIFICATION

DeGesero: Voters will decide in November if they want Murphy Admin to dictate how they cook, drive and heat their homes

Eric DeGesero, on behalf of the Fuel Merchants Association of New Jersey and New Jersey Propane Gas Association, issued the following statement regarding the Board of Public Utilities vote today to begin the process to mandate forced building electrification in New Jersey:

“Pending before the NJ Legislature are S3672 and A5591. These bills direct the BPU to direct the electric company to implement building decarbonization through electrification. These bills haven’t passed the Legislature. Nevertheless, Governor Murphy has directed his BPU bureaucrats to implement the legislation as if it’s law and today they began the process.

I’m sick of the BPU’s lies about ‘meaningful stakeholder process’ A three-minute slot on a ZOOM and a 20-day comment period is the antithesis of transparency and engagement.

I’m sick of the lies spouted that the BPU has legal authority to implement this Order and regulate carbon emissions. The BPU’s lack of legal authority, as pointed out by Rate Counsel, is unchanged by today’s vote.

I’m sick of the BPU saying they are merely offering ‘a choice’ regarding building decarbonization, when the only ‘choice’ is electrification because they refuse to recognize alternatives to the existing fossil fuels that can bring about decarbonization at a lesser cost than electrification, with less of an impact to our fragile energy grid.

But what I’m sick of is irrelevant. The people of New Jersey will decide this fall when we vote if we are sick of Governor Murphy dictating how we will heat and cook and drive.”

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