Oil Change International will be releasing their report, “Burning the Gas Bridge Fuel Myth at a press conference today in Trenton. This analysis provides five clear reasons why fossil gas is not a “bridge fuel.” It shows that even with zero methane leakage, gas is not a climate change solution. ReThink NJ and NJ Conservation Foundation will be joining Oil Change at the press conference. Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club released the following statement:

“The Oil Change International analysis is an important report on the need to reduce our reliance of fossil fuels and natural gas. But we can’t get off fossil fuels, especially natural gas, without a moratorium in New Jersey. We can’t get to zero carbon without a moratorium and we won’t be able to achieve our own Green New Deal. If these groups are concerned about GHG’s then we need to put a hold on the 5 natural gas power plants and 8 pipelines. These projects will undermine our renewable energy goals, increase GHG’s by 32% and add to climate impacts. Groups that do not support a moratorium are not serious about getting off fossil fuels. When it comes to climate change, we don’t need to rethink, we need to act.

“The Sierra Club along with 70 other organizations across the state have been leading the way to push for a freeze on fossil fuels. The Empower NJ coalition’s mission is to put a time out on fossil fuel projects so that New Jersey can put in place programs to reduce greenhouse gases and get to 100% renewable. More fossil fuels will block offshore wind, solar, and make RGGI meaningless. NJ is exporting more than 20% of their electricity and 3 power plants are designed to sell power to NY. There are some environmental groups that are actively undermining and opposing a moratorium while pretending to be anti- fossil fuel. We stand with people who are calling to get off fossil fuels.

“We stand with Oil Change International. There are other groups that say they do, but don’t because they are not calling for a moratorium or for the state to divest in fossil fuels or to make a commitment to not take money from fossil fuel companies. Governor Murphy must put in place a moratorium on all fossil fuel projects to reduce greenhouse gases. The moratorium should be in place until the state has standards in place to regulate and permit CO2 and GHG emissions through all sectors such as powerplants, pipelines, mobile sources, and fugitive emissions. We need to require DEP to be modeling and making regulations on fugitive emissions for GHGs and air deposition. We need to be setting aggressive clean energy goals for 2035 and should be ratcheting down on fossil fuels until we get to zero emissions.

“We cannot get to 100% renewable with a billion-dollar nuclear subsidy or with a solar program that is on the brink of collapsing. Groups that opposed or don’t support a moratorium are not really for getting off of fossil fuel and natural gas. However, given the Climate Report and climate urgency, we need a moratorium now. Groups that get money from dirty energy who want to wait for market trends and Governor Murphy really don’t care for his clean energy goals. Too many groups get money from utilities that has to make you wonder if they are endorsing the agenda to actually reduce fossil fuels.

“Relying on the market will not help us get to zero carbon. Governor Murphy keeps saying we have to reduce pollution, the BPU talk about climate change and the welfare of future generations but all of their words are just hot air. Climate change is here, and it will just get worse. The right to natural gas is a bridge to a climate catastrophe. We need a moratorium on new fossil fuel projects so that we get to zero carbon. We can reduce climate impacts and make sure future generations have clean air to breath in and clean water to drink. We need to get off fossil fuels and natural gas sooner than Governor Murphy’s goal by 2050. We cannot wait any long because the IPCC says our planet is warming twice as fast than we expected.”