State Sen. Bob Smith (D-Piscataway), the chairman of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee, places the blame on rising energy costs on the Trump administration — and its efforts to go away from clean energy.
Last week, the N.J. Board of Public Utilities said the results of this year’s annual electricity auction will mean that the average monthly bill for New Jersey ratepayers is expected to rise between 17-20 percent, depending on service territory.
“Make no mistake, these energy cost increases will only be worsened by the Trump Administration’s attacks on clean energy, which have needlessly terminated projects that would provide clean and affordable energy, such as offshore wind, that have been in planning and development for years,” he said.
Smith also said the efforts of Elon Musk, who is the head of the new Department of Government Efficiency, also will hurt.
“Trump and Musk’s haphazard attempts to cut the federal workforce, too, will only exacerbate this problem,” he said. “Less federal workers means less workers to examine permitting applications, which means more energy projects of every type, from gas to wind to solar, will get held up in federal review.
“While the federal government has, in previous years, made serious efforts to hasten the production of energy with grants and tax credits, the Trump Administration’s holds on congressionally appropriated funds breed uncertainty, putting the financial prospects of hundreds, if not thousands, of new energy projects at risk and, in turn, driving up costs.”
Smith said the impact will be felt by Jerseyans in their pocketbooks.
“I am very concerned at the impact these increases will have on everyday New Jerseyans and their household budgets, which are already being stretched thin by inflation and, soon, Trump’s tariffs on everyday goods,” he said.
“I will continue to work to combat the affordability crisis in energy being exacerbated by chaos at the federal level and strive to ensure that New Jersey can continue its transition to clean and affordable energy for all.”
