TRENTON, N.J. — Members of the 9th Legislative District warned Friday that soaring electricity and natural gas rates have created a “full-blown crisis” in New Jersey, calling for immediate financial relief and a reversal of the state’s energy strategy in joint testimony before legislative committees.
In written remarks submitted to the Senate Select Committee and Assembly Telecommunications & Utilities Committee, Senator Carmen Amato, Assemblyman Brian Rumpf, and Assemblyman Gregory Myhre condemned recent utility rate increases and sharply criticized the state’s offshore wind initiatives as costly and ineffective.
Key Points
- Shore delegation calls rising utility costs a statewide crisis, citing hundreds of constituent complaints.
- Lawmakers propose the “Small Modular Nuclear Energy Incentive Act” as an alternative.
- Offshore wind strategy labeled a failure by critics of New Jersey’s Energy Master Plan.
“The financial situation of many residents is so dire that the State is compelled to begin providing financial relief through utility rebates or credits in addition to immediately freezing any additional utility rates,” the lawmakers said.
Their district office, they reported, has received hundreds of complaints and petitions opposing rate hikes, particularly from retirees in senior communities now facing utility costs they say rival those of large homes.
The testimony also pointed to what they described as a “failed offshore wind turbine green energy venture,” promoted under the Murphy Administration, as a core reason behind lost resources and rising costs. They argued the current Energy Master Plan is “unviable” and must be replaced with a more realistic approach.
The delegation highlighted legislation they’ve introduced — the “Small Modular Nuclear Energy Incentive Act” — which would authorize the Board of Public Utilities to solicit bids for constructing small modular nuclear reactors in New Jersey.
They further noted their ongoing opposition to rate increases, referencing formal communications and testimony to the BPU and Assembly committees dating back over a year. The lawmakers also cited an “Energy Assistance Utility Day” held in Ocean County in February as evidence of widespread ratepayer hardship.
“Our Delegation stands ready to work in a bipartisan fashion… to assist those on the verge of losing their homes due to excessive utility bills,” the lawmakers concluded.
The testimony submitted jointly by Senator Amato, Assemblyman Rumpf and Assemblyman Myhre was as follows:
“Drastic and unconscionable utility rate increases in both electricity and natural gas have created a full-blown crisis in New Jersey. The fact that this committee hearing has been convened is a testament to this standing reality.
“The financial situation of many residents is so dire that the State is compelled to begin providing financial relief through utility rebates or credits in addition to immediately freezing any additional utility rates.
“Our district office alone has received hundreds of complaints from irate ratepayers who are in disbelief that these utility rate increases could have ever been authorized in the first place.
“In addition, our district office has received petitions with hundreds of signatures of constituents vehemently opposed to utility rate increases.
“Many of the signatories are ratepayers living on retirement incomes in modest senior community homes who are now paying utility bills that not long ago would have resembled the utility costs of a large muti-level home.
“Sadly, a majority of the public is convinced that the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities rubber stamped rate increases without giving any consideration to whether ratepayers could afford to pay their electric and natural gas bills once the increases went into effect.
“As a coastal legislative district, our constituents are very familiar with what we can now say is the failed offshore wind turbine green energy venture prematurely and wrongfully touted by the Murphy Administration as the answer to our state’s energy needs.
“The resources wasted and the time lost to the fixation on offshore wind turbine projects will continue to prove costly to our state’s residents and businesses for years to come.
“As a consequence, the state’s botched Energy Master Plan must be viewed as unviable and replaced with a comprehensive strategy that is firmly based in reality, not written in political rhetoric to appease special interests whose separate agendas do not include lowering utility rates for struggling ratepayers.
“To that end, we have introduced the ‘Small Modular Nuclear Energy Incentive Act,’ which would direct the BPU to establish a program to solicit bids for the construction of new small modular nuclear reactors, known as SMRs, right here in New Jersey.
“Please make note that our Delegation is on record for the better part of the last 14 months opposing approvals of utility rate increases by way of stern correspondence to the BPU calling its membership to prioritize affordability for ratepayers.
“This also includes providing testimony to the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee on October 2 of last year on the same issue discussed today.
“At the time of opposing the respective increases, our Delegation was very aware of the fact that our constituents were already paying perennial toll increases, more in taxes to fill their gas tanks and higher property taxes due to draconian cuts in school aid.
“Likewise, in October of last year, our Delegation requested that an ‘Energy Assistance Utility Day” be held in Ocean County by the BPU which was eventually held on February 19 in Toms River.
“Both the strong turnout and situations described by desperate ratepayers was emblematic of the current situation on how unaffordable utility costs have become.
“In closing, we can all agree by today’s hearing being held that drastic action is needed as the already dire situation worsens with each billing cycle for those we have the privilege of representing.
“Moving on from what have been demonstrated as ineffective energy policies, our Delegation stands ready to work in a bipartisan fashion with our legislative colleagues to assist those on the verge of losing their homes due to excessive utility bills as well as those who will be in that awful point in the near future.
“On behalf of Senator Carmen Amato, Jr. and Assemblyman Gregory Myhre, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to submit written testimony today on such a critical and alarming Statewide issue.”