The Threat of Climate Change for New Jersey & the Promise of Clean Energy Solutions Doug O’Malley, Director, Environment New Jersey
Northeast Extreme Precipitation
The “Forgotten” Hurricane: Hurricane Irene & Inland Flooding Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge Bound Brook in Central Jersey
Asthma Rates & Hospital Admissions Are Higher in NJ than Neighboring States & National Average
THE PATH FORWARD? 1) Reducing Global Warming Pollution from the Largest & Most Stationary Sources 2) Use Regulatory Structure To Create Leverage To Push for Large-Scale Move Away from Fossil-Fuels 3) Invest in Clean Energy Technology at Macro & Micro Levels a) Scalability of Solar b) Energy Efficiency’s Return on Investment c) Off-Shore Wind Potential
Why do we need the EPA Clean Power Plan?: Power plants emit 40% of U.S. global warming pollution
How U.S. Power Plants Carbon Emissions Stack Up Against Other Countries
Climate and health benefits of EPA Clean Power Plan • Clean Power Plan will cut smog and soot pollution by over 25% • Health benefits worth $55-$93 billion • 2,700 – 6,600 deaths avoided in 2030 • 140,000 asthma attacks in children avoided • For every dollar invested in compliance, American families will see up to $7 in health benefits
How RGGI Laid the Groundwork for the Clean Power Plan • The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
Carbon Emissions are Down in Northeast, Economy is Benefiting
RGGI: A Program That Works • 1) Generates Clean Energy Funding : Since New Jersey withdrew from RGGI program in 2011, NJ has lost out on $114 million in potential revenue. By 2020 New Jersey could miss out on another $387 million . Investing this $500 million of lost revenue in energy efficiency could generate savings equivalent to the polllution of New Jersey’s coal plants from 2010 - 2012. • 2) RGGI Saves Consumers Money: Since it launched in 2009, RGGI has helped the nine participating states to cut electricity prices by 8 percent & lock in more than $1.8 billion in long-term savings on energy bills . • 3) Best Way To Comply With Clean Power Plan: New Jersey's state Clean Power Plan will require a stringent 43% reduction in our power plant carbon pollution by 2030. • 4) RGGI Reduces Global Warming Pollution: States that participate in RGGI have reduced power plant global warming pollution by 18 percent since the program started in 2009. NJ needs to rejoin RGGI to comply with the mandates of the Global Warming Response Act.
RGGI Lawsuit & Ramifications • After Gov. Christie unilaterally removed New Jersey from RGGI & excuses power plants from compliance with RGGI rules with no public process in 2011, Environment New Jersey & NRDC file suit against NJDEP in June 2012 • NJ Superior Court hears case in January 2014, rules in March 2014 that NJDEP violated the law by not allowing public comment on rule proposal • NJDEP complies with law, issues draft rule, allows public comment & 1 public hearing this summer. More than 5,000 comment against proposal. • New Jersey Legislature poised to make history by overturning regulatory proposal by majority vote. State Senate will vote on resolution tomorrow.
Why Solar? • Unlimited resource with no fuel costs. • Quick due to reduced permitting requirements and the ability to locate on existing structures. • Saves money on transmission and distribution of energy and on cost of peak power • Economic benefits including local jobs, reduced energy imports and hedge against certain increases in fossil fuel and energy prices, • Most importantly…. Solar has ability to scale up quickly and offers the cleanest source of power to green our electric grid.
Solar’s just for those sunny western states. Think again.
Nationally, solar is on the rise- 120-fold increase in 10 years.
Across America, Solar is Succeeding & NJ Remains a Leader Because of Past Policies
Jobs per $1 million, per UMass analysis
Weatherization Energy Efficiency Programs Across New Jersey Hispanic Center of South Jersey does attic insulation as part of the Energy Service Corps, an AmeriCorps Weatherization Assistance Program and sister organization, organized (WAP). More than a $1 billion of state weatherization projects at Trenton clean energy funding has been raided. Central High School.
Combined Heat & Power for Industrial Facilities
US Wind Resource Assessment Strong, consistent wind available offshore Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Atlantic Offshore Wind Development Projects on Track for Construction in 2015 Cape Wind - 486 MW (MA) Block Island - 30 MW (RI) 6 Wind Energy Areas finalized (RI, MA, NJ, DE, MD, VA) Areas of low conflict designated for wind energy leasing Environmental Assessments completed, significant industry interest in all areas 2 Leases auctioned in 2013 Deepwater Wind: 165,000 acres Dominion Power: 113,000 acres Lease Applications NYPA proposal - 350-700 MW (NY) approximate location
What’s At Stake
Some Good Ideas Take a Long Time to Get Traction “We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be using nature’s inexhaustible sources of energy — sun, wind and tide. ... I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.” Thomas Edison
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