Increasing Threat of Fossil Fuels in New Jersey
Although New Jersey has moved away from coal with the closing of the Logan and Chambers power plant (demolition video), we still face a threat of possible new fossil fuel infrastructure to address increased energy demand.
Unfortunately, to meet this new demand our grid operator, PJM, has shown clear bias and preference toward fossil fuels, connecting dirty projects to the grid while cheaper, cleaner, and faster energy projects are stalled. In 2025, PJM allowed a majority of fossil fuel projects to jump the line in the interconnection queue, with 39 of 51 new projects being gas power plants.
On top of this, the Federal administration is a huge problem as they continue to push for the prioritization of gas and coal development through executive orders, and ending the clean energy incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
New Jersey is on the frontlines of the climate crisis, warming faster than the global average. We are facing severe coastal flooding and sea-level rise, increased frequency of intense rain events, increasing risk of heatwaves and wildfires, and more. We need urgent action to transition away from dirty, polluting fossil fuels toward 100% clean, affordable energy.
The New Jersey Sierra Club continues to partner with the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign and Beyond Dirty Fuels Campaign to stop new dirty fossil fuel projects in New Jersey. Our work includes preventing any new fossil fuel infrastructure and moving towards an energy economy centered on faster, cheaper, and reliable clean energy through policy and legislative advocacy, and through legal action.
Fossil Fuel Impacts to the Climate, Communities, and Environment
GHG emissions: Fossil fuel projects in New Jersey significantly contribute to the state’s greenhouse gas emissions inventory. Expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure like natural gas power plants, pipelines, and compressor stations lock us in for an extended timeline of fossil fuel greenhouse gas emissions. These projects increase carbon dioxide or methane emissions, making it more difficult for the state to meet its climate and clean energy goals. As a result, continued investment in fossil fuel infrastructure undermines progress toward cleaner energy, better air quality and public health, and climate resilience.
Environmental Justice: Fossil fuel projects have historically been sited in low-income and communities of color across the nation and here in New Jersey. These egregious locations expose these marginalized communities in New Jersey to toxic air pollutants and therefore, increased risk to poor public health, particularly for sensitive populations inclusive of children, the elderly and the immunocompromised.
Ecosystem Disruption: Building the infrastructure for fossil fuel projects like pipelines, power plants, and compressor stations, negatively impacts the surrounding environment by digging through land (including potentially ecologically sensitive areas like wetlands or forest), threatening habitat for wildlife and polluting the water and air we all depend on for survival.
Cost to Ratepayers: Fossil fuel projects are some of the most expensive energy projects to procure, and most times, ratepayers are left footing the bill. Fossil fuels are subject to seasonal variability (for example, pipes blowing up in the winter) and depend on international geopolitical oil markets. For fossil fuel-powered energy generation, it is not just the cost of building the facility, it is the cost of the continuous fuel intake in order to generate the electricity. All of this adds up to volatile and more expensive power bills.
Energy Independence: Fossil fuels costs are highly volatile because their pricing depends on the geopolitical landscape of any given time. By transitioning away from fossil fuels and toward clean energy alternatives, we can increase our energy independence as clean energy generators given that solar and wind power do not depend on politics and a lack or abundance of supply.