Date : Mon, 08 Sep 2014 11:30:17 -0400
For Immediate Release
September 8, 2014
Contact Jeff Tittel, 609-558-9100
Sierra Club Submits Comments on RGGI Withdrawal Rule
Friday the Sierra Club submitted comments on the DEP's rule proposal to withdraw New Jersey from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The Global Warming Response Act requires New Jersey to reduce emissions.Pulling out of RGGI clearly violates duties required of DEP, established by the law.DEP does not cite any legal authority in which they actually can pull out of RGGI through rulemaking.DEP is violating the Administrative Procedures Act as they do not make any attempt to quantify or describe how pulling out of RGGI impacts socioeconomics, jobs, or smart growth.They have not made the proper findings to justify these rules pulling out of RGGI.
"We believe the DEP is violating the law by pulling out of RGGI through this rule making process.What they are doing violates the Global Warming Response Act and the Administrative Procedures Act. RGGI worked; it created jobs in New Jersey while reducing air pollution," said Jeff Tittel, Director, NJ Sierra Club. "What the Christie administration is trying to do is nullify the Global Warming Response Act.In doing so he is violating the laws that are on the books.Nullification didn't work in South Carolina, and Gov. Christie shouldn't try to do it in New Jersey."
In July the agency released rules in state Register to formally exit the program.The rules come after a March Appellate Court decision finding that New Jersey could not exit RGGI without going through a DEP rulemaking process.
"When the Governor pulled out of RGGI, the court rules he violated the law.Now what he is doing is still wrong- wrong for the environment and wrong for our economy," said Jeff Tittel
The Hess power plant in Newark will get a $4 million tax break and CPV in Woodbridge will get a $5 million tax break because we are not in RGGI.The Christie Administration while pulling out of RGGI is subsidizing natural gas plants up to $3 billion over the next 15 years which will increase our greenhouse gas output.
"The Christie administration proposal hurts the environment, increase greenhouse gases, cost our economy jobs, and give tax breaks for pollutes. Christie administration would rather give tax breaks to polluters than protect the people of New Jersey's health," said Tittel.
NJ Sierra Club opposes the DEP rule making and the attempt to pull of RGGI.RGGI worked to create clean energy and thousands of jobs in New Jersey.Sierra Club believes by pulling out of RGGI, the Governor violates the RGGI implementation law and Global Warming Response Act as well. The withdrawal violates President Obama's Climate Action Plan and could jeopardize New Jersey receiving federal grants.
"We believe that the Governor pulled out of RGGI because he cares more about his national political ambition than the environment and people of New Jersey.Especially after Hurricane Sandy, the public supports action on climate change, and New Jersey needs to reduce greenhouse gases and RGGI and one of the ways to do it," said Jeff Tittel.
New Jersey needs to be back in RGGI to meet the requirements of the Global Warming Response Act, President Obama's Climate Action Plan and the new EPA carbon standards.Without participating in RGGI we will not meet those goals. RGGI is a proven and tested model for achieving the carbon reductions required in the new EPA Carbon Rule.In the future RGGI is going to be expanded to become more effective and include more sectors, increasing the reductions in carbon pollution.
"After being devastated by Hurricane Sandy we need to reduce greenhouse gases and RGGI is the best way to do that.RGGI is important as a way to implement the new EPA Carbon Standards.What the Governor is doing hurts New Jersey environmentally and economically," said Jeff Tittel.
Instead of implementing adaptation and mitigation planning and reducing carbon pollution, the Governor is rolling back policies that reduce climate change pollution and promote clean energy alternatives.Since taking office, the Christie administration has raided around $1 billion from different clean energy funding programs, and at least $63 million dollars of that came from RGGI. The funding the Governor has diverted from the Clean Energy Fund would have created more than 5,000 jobs, resulted in 100 million tons of air pollution reductions over the next couple years, and would have created billions of dollars of economic activity. In the past, RGGI funds were used to fund the DEP Office of Climate Change, which has been eliminated, and New Jersey's work on adaptation and mitigation.
When New Jersey participated in the program, the state achieved the RGGI greenhouse gas reduction goal of 10% in the first three years.A report by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners found that New Jersey's participation in RGGI created $151 million in economic value and 1,772 jobs in our state.Throughout the region, RGGI saved customers $1.1 billion on their electric bills and $174 million on gas bills, offsetting the $912 million paid by customers.RGGI's energy efficiency programs helped keep $765 million in regional economy instead of going to out of state fossil fuel interests, including natural gas and coal.
RGGI generated $700 million for investment in clean energy and energy efficiency and created 16,000 new jobs since the program started.[1]
<#_ftn1>New York is investing $300 million in a clean energy bank to give out loans to businesses with revenue from the RGGI program.
In July, Senator Sweeny introduced a Senate Oversight Resolution to prevent the Christie Administration from formally pulling New Jersey out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.If passed twice by both houses, this would stop the rules from moving forward.
"The people of New Jersey demand action on climate change and want our state to reduce air pollution, for our state to be more resilient, and support growing our economy through new technology and clean energy jobs.With RGGI we can protect our environment, reduce carbon pollution, and move our state forward economically.RGGI is a win-win for New Jersey and Gov. Christie is a lose-lose when it comes to protecting our environment and reducing the impacts of climate change. The Governor would rather side with the fossil fuel in Washington than clean energy jobs in New Jersey," said Jeff Tittel.
RGGI Facts:
When New Jersey participated in the program, the state achieved the RGGI greenhouse gas reduction goal of 10% in the first three years
RGGI is achieving its goals and more.Due in part to its programs, global warming pollution is down 15%-30% since it launched.
The economy in the region has grown by more than $2.3 billion because of RGGI.
RGGI is directly responsible for creating or saving almost 18,000 jobs
Companies that receive RGGI funds have been able to make energy efficiency improvements or build on-site clean energy projects.These projects help companies save energy and money and also support local jobs, putting people to work retrofitting buildings or installing solar arrays and other projects
The first 12 projects in New Jersey funded by RGGI proceeds helped New Jersey businesses generate over 167,000 megawatt hours of clean energy per year -- equal to the amount of energy consumed by 19,600 households per year -- and reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 84,000 metric tons.
RGGI has also helped lead to hundreds of clean energy businesses - both large and small - starting up, expanding or moving to New Jersey.These companies employ thousands of New Jerseyans in the growing clean energy market
"RGGI has worked for New Jersey in the past and can create jobs and reduce pollution in the future and that is why this legislation is critical.The Governor vetoed similar legislation twice in the past, however given all that is going on the Legislature can stand up for New Jersey and clean energy by passing this bill and overriding a potential veto," said Jeff Tittel.
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[1] <#_ftnref1> http://www.rggi.org/docs/Documents/2012-Investment-Report_ES.pdf
-- Kate Millsaps Conservation Program Coordinator NJ Chapter of the Sierra Club 609-656-7612
- Download full text: 0905_RGGI_comments_.pdf