We’re not even a week into the new administration and already there are potential problems on the horizon. After taking the oath of office, the new Governor signed two executive orders dealing with energy.

In EO2, sections 5 and 6 look at the consideration of waiving compliance for permitting or siting electricity generation and grid stabilization projects, plus ordering the DEP to take all steps to expedite the permitting processes applicable to existing gas-fired power plants (modernization of said plants) and consideration of waiver for compliance as well.

So while the Governor is signing orders that call for trying to identify additional generation, Newark has another idea to ban plants altogether:

To say we have questions is an understatement. Among them would be:

• Is this legal?
  • In California a court already overturned an attempted gas ban by Berkeley which forced the city to later repeal the efforts. Sound familiar?
• Is this feasible?
  • Can a municipality pass ordinances that are in direct conflict with state Executive Orders? Will the administration take action against Newark for violation of their EO?
• What gives them jurisdiction?
  • What gives Newark jurisdiction to do this at the ports and at the airport? Does this ban the pipeline that brings jet fuel to the airport or to the Port of Newark too because if one locality is allowed to have jurisdictional say it could shut down the airport and the ports altogether.
• If other towns did this, where would our energy come from?
  • If this is allowed, what’s to stop towns around the state that have infrastructure of their own from trying to pass this? Then what happens when we can’t produce energy anywhere?

That’s just our initial set of questions. This is a significant state versus local argument that cannot just be ignored because it strikes at the heart of the challenges we are facing.

Whether we are able to build more base load energy infrastructure in New Jersey will be critical to helping address the problems that continue to grow. You obviously know where AENJ stands, we need to know where the Governor will come down.