As the new home of NJPIRG's environmental work, Environment New Jersey can be contacted regarding this testimony.
Good morning and thank
you for allowing me to speak today. My name is Emily Rusch and I am the Energy
Advocate for the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group. NJPIRG is a public
interest advocacy organization that includes over 18,000 active citizen members
across the state. For the past thirty years, NJPIRG has worked for clean and
safe energy solutions that protect the environment, protect consumers from fluctuating
rates, increase electricity reliability, and protect communities from unsafe
power sources.
NJPIRG applauds the Board
for its efforts to increase clean energy production in the state and in the
region. A strong renewable portfolio standard is the best policy to ensure that
New Jersey achieves a cleaner, safer, more reliable, and more affordable energy
future.
Our current energy path
takes a heavy toll on New Jersey residents. One in three summer days in 2002
air pollution made it unhealthy to breathe in New Jersey. Pollution from power
plants was to blame for over 60 percent of the problem. Soot and smog aggravate
respiratory problems like asthma and bronchitis. Power plants also emit mercury
contamination, a neurotoxin so potent that a spoonful of it can contaminate
a mid-sized lake. In addition, fossil fuel power plants emit carbon dioxide,
which causes global warming.
Nuclear power is not the
answer. Nuclear power plants in New Jersey have generated more than 1688 metric
tons of radioactive waste, currently stored in our communities. Beginning in
2010, the government has plans to transport that waste to Yucca Mountain by
train, barge, and truck on routes including I-95 and 195. The likelihood of
an in-transport accident is high. Meanwhile, the oldest operating nuclear power
plant in the country, Oyster Creek, is scheduled to retire in a few years. We
have to plan now for the permanent closure of this plant.
To begin the shift away
from these dirty and dangerous energy sources, New Jersey can and must set a
goal that 20 percent of our energy comes from clean, renewable sources of power
by the year 2020. Research shows that we have the resources available to easily
achieve this goal. Twenty percent of our energy could come from wind power alone.
New Jersey has millions of rooftops perfect for harnessing solar energy. Achieving
this 20 percent goal will have significant positive impacts on our health, our
environment, and our quality of life.
In the meantime, increasing
the standard from two percent by 2008 to four percent by 2008 is a step in the
right direction. Data compiled by the Renewable Energy Task Force members showed
that a four percent standard is the bare minimum for instigating new development
of renewable energy in the next several years.
NJPIRG strongly supports
the new requirements for solar energy development. Solar pv has unique attributes
that should be aggressively pursued in the state of New Jersey. Solar pv emits
zero pollution as it generates electricity. In addition, solar pv typically
generates the most electricity during times of peak demand, reducing the strain
on the grid. Solar pv is most commonly used in the form of distributed generation,
located at the point of use, which makes it an efficient source of energy as
well.
Expanding the renewable
portfolio standard to increase the amount of clean, renewable energy in the
mix will reduce negative environmental and public health impacts of energy production
while creating new jobs. Diversifying our electricity supply will make our supply
more reliable, and help to protect consumers from price spikes associated with
fossil fuels like natural gas. Increasing our use of renewable energy will also
enable New Jersey plan ahead for the decommissioning of our aging nuclear plants.
Therefore, understanding
the importance of achieving these targets, NJPIRG urges the Board of Public
Utilities to amend the provision that outlines the alternative compliance payment
to ensure this compliance mechanism is not abused. First and foremost, a low
alternative compliance payment would work to undermine all of the stated goals.
However, even an alternative compliance payment that is above what is considered
the market price of renewable energy credits may be abused. If companies are
choosing this alternative year after year, the renewable energy percentage requirements
will never be met. NJPIRG strongly urges the Board of Public Utilities to set
a limit on how the ACP should be used, so that a company may not choose to meet
the requirements through the alternative compliance payment multiple years in
a row.
With stronger enforcement
mechanisms in place, the new renewable energy standards will make New Jersey
a national leader in clean energy development, leading to more jobs, better
electricity reliability, and cleaner air and water for our state.
