Weak Renewable Energy Bill Should Be Rejected Along With Nuke Industry Bailout
Weak Renewable Energy Bill Should Be Rejected Along With Nuke Industry Bailout
Legislative package pairs expensive, unnecessary nuclear bailout with insufficient push on renewables
On Thursday, lawmakers are expected to vote on a pair of bills that have the potential to do lasting damage to the creation of a clean energy future for New Jersey.
The following statement was released by Lena Smith, Food & Water Watch Policy Advocate:
“Delivering hundreds of millions of ratepayer dollars to a profitable corporation is not sensible energy policy, it is extortion. It is astonishing that Trenton lawmakers are even considering granting this outrageous handout to PSE&G.
“But the nuke bailout is only half of the problem. The supposed ‘clean energy’ bill (A-3723) being pushed as part of PSE&G bailout falls well short of the kind of bold action New Jersey–and the rest of the world– must take to combat the climate crisis. The bill sets an inadequate renewable energy goal, does not go far enough to promote solar development, does not address access to renewable energy for low-income communities, and fails to phase out dirty fossil fuel infrastructure projects.
“Lawmakers in Trenton and Governor Murphy have spoken emphatically about the need to live up to the international Paris climate agreement. But doing so requires action that rises to the level of the problem we are facing; the Paris goals demand a rapid transition away from fossil fuels. These bills leave us well short of where we need to be in combating the climate crisis, squandering hundreds of millions of dollars on a corporate handout to PSE&G in the process.
“New Jersey can and must do better. We call on the legislature to fulfill its promise and protect the people of the state by crafting a bold clean energy vision that puts New Jersey on track to be a true climate leader.”
(Statement available here: https://www.foodandwaterwatch.
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