New Jersey Moves Forward with the Energy Master Plan

COA submitted formal comments to the Board of Public Utilities on the New Jersey’s 2019 Energy Master Plan. The plan is intended to set forth a strategic vision for the production, distribution, consumption, and conservation of energy in the State of  New Jersey, including how to achieve 100 percent clean energy by 2050. In Clean Ocean Actions formal comments focused on:

• Prioritizing the aggressive implementation of efforts to reduce energy needs through energy efficiency and conservation measures, the most cost effective and green energy of all.
• Compelled the BPU to seek equitable or greater increases in renewable land based sources which are more economically competitive, environmentally sound, and manageable.
• The need for the state to expedite the understanding and effects of the entire scope of onshore and offshore impacts of ocean based when energy. This is essential to ensure that offshore
  renewable energy does not come at the expense of, or harm to, marine resources.
• Requiring the BPU to conduct a cost analysis of offshore wind, as well as a comparison of that cost to other renewables as well as energy efficiency to ensure best green energy future.
• Establishing a moratorium on any new fossil fuel development in the state.

The draft plan is scheduled to be released in December, with the final plan to be released in the spring of 2019.