Participating in the Regional Green House Gas Initiative (RGGI) has turned out to be a very smart move for NJ. Since joining the program in 2008, the state added almost 2000 jobs, saved consumers and businesses $151 million in energy costs, reduced carbon pollution by 255,000 tons and helped to fund more clean energy efforts.
With so much positive news, it remains a mystery why Governor Christie, who says he understands the threats posed by climate change and spends a considerable amount of time talking about the importance of growing the NJ economy, unilaterally pulled the state from the program in January.
According to an environmental report released by Environment NJ, Christie’s pro-fossil-fuel move is costing the Garden State hundreds of millions of dollars in lost jobs and revenue while reducing our leading role in sustainable energy development and choking our air with tons of greenhouse gasses.
When the legislature voted to reinstate NJ in RGGI last summer the Governor vetoed the measure. Earlier this month, a bill to recommit NJ to RGGI once again cleared the Environmental and Solid Waste Assembly Committee.
But since last spring, the Governor does not seem particularly interested in the will of the people. Since becoming a political favorite of many ultra conservative, deep pocketed supporters who make their billions in the fossil fuel industry, Mr. Christie has apparently abandoned his position as leader of his state and instead seems determined to please his newfound friends by doing all he can to quash sustainable energy initiatives, leaving NJ poorer, dirtier and less able to compete in the global clean energy market.
According to the Environment NJ report, rejoining RGGI will:
- Generate approximately $171 million in revenue for clean energy programs
- Reduce global warming pollution by 127,000 metric tons per year, which is the equivalent of 24,300 passenger vehicles
- Produce $340 - $680 million in carbon trade allowances, depending on the price of these trades over the coming years
- Create thousands more jobs
Should the Governor continue his refusal to implement the will of the majority of NJ voters, the state will:
- Lose $10 million in clean energy funding that will come from the next quarterly auction on March 14
- Retain its position as the state with the dirtiest air in America
- Continue to bleed jobs to states supporting green energy industries
- Relinquish our status as a top solar industry state (right now we’re second only to California)
- Feed the petro-chemical industry’s continuing assault on our country’s air and all clean energy initiatives
With so much to gain both economically and environmentally by being part of a bi-partisan program initiated by George W. Bush, we say the Governor needs to stop choking off jobs and clean air and put NJ back in RGGI.
If he truly believes this decision is his and his alone, then let Mr. Christie do right by his people, his state and the pro-environmental platform he ran for office on and support putting some green in our coffers as well as our environment.
With apologies to Kermit the Frog, we say when it comes to RGGI, it’s easy being green – and it’s smart too.
What do you say?
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