TL/DR –
New Jersey residents are pushing their Congressional delegation to encourage the use of more efficient, renewable energy to combat rising heat and energy costs. This follows the passage of legislation in July that phases out clean energy tax credits, a move expected to result in significant economic damage including job losses and higher consumer costs. Recent polling suggests a majority of Americans believe developing clean energy sources should be a high priority for the President and Congress.
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Unprecedented Heat Waves Fueling Clean Energy Advocacy in New Jersey
Residents of New Jersey, grappling with progressively earlier and more intense heat waves, are increasingly focusing on the dual issue of oppressive heat and skyrocketing energy costs.
According to Fair Haven and Colts Neck residents, Ted Wardell and Cindy Rubin, the answer lies in the New Jersey Congressional delegation advocating for more efficient, renewable energy, a strategy shown to reduce energy costs.
Efforts to Support Clean Energy
Members of CCL-Lincroft met with numerous Capitol Hill offices including Senator Booker, Senator Kim, Rep Smith NJ-04, Rep Pallone NJ-11, Rep Kean NJ-07 on July 22, aiming to rally support for energy options favored by their constituents. These members joined hundreds of Citizens’ Climate Lobby volunteers from across the country in requesting Congress to back clean energy.
Public Sentiment and New Jersey’s Commitment to Clean Energy
In a poll conducted by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication in December 2024, 63% of Americans expressed that the development of clean energy sources should be a high or very high priority for the President and Congress. Statista’s data verifies New Jersey’s commitment to clean energy solutions like solar energy, showcasing New Jersey’s solar electricity generation share in 2023, which surpassed the national average.
Legislative Hurdles
Despite the public sentiment and state commitment, Congress passed a bill on July 3 that presents obstacles to clean energy advancement. The legislation phases out widely favored clean energy tax credits, previously beneficial for New Jersey. The Inflation Reduction Act, for example, has created 1,327 jobs in New Jersey alone, with over 1,000 of these situated in Congressman Van Drew’s NJ-02 district.
Economic Impact of Legislative Changes
The regulatory uncertainty has led to the cancellation of around $15.5 billion in new factories and electricity projects nationally since January. With the loss of these tax credits, the Energy Innovation Policy & Technology anticipates significant economic repercussions for New Jersey, including job losses, a hit to the GDP, and increased consumer costs.
“The clean energy tax credits suffered excessive cuts in the reconciliation bill,” remarked Ted Wardell. “During our visit to D.C., we pleaded with our congressional representatives to reach a cross-party consensus on a policy that guarantees abundant, affordable clean energy for Americans.”
The Citizens’ Climate Lobby is a nonpartisan, nonprofit grassroots organization that unites volunteers from across the political spectrum to campaign for legislation to combat climate change. Volunteers routinely meet with their Congress members to encourage them to support federal policies aimed at reducing the emissions that alter and pollute our climate.
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