NJ Energy Report – December 2024
Actions and comments affecting the New Jersey energy supply.
Summary
- An op-ed was written asserting New Jersey’s problems with stormwater and sewage runoff is caused by climate change.
- EV advocates cheer the current EV registrations in the state.
- A state Assembly committee votes to delay an EV truck mandate implementation.
Comments
Little occurred in December except for one state assembly action.
The Monthly Fear Notice
The causes of stormwater and sewage water overflows.
This op-ed (1) asserts the cause of storm and sewage runoff and flooding in the state is climate change. Even as the author acknowledges the state, with the concurrence of both political parties, have underinvested in water infrastructure for many years, the flooding cause is climate change. Wow. What is the evidence of climate change?
Evidence
- Flooding caused by back-to-back hurricanes in the Carolina’s and Florida.
- Heavy rainfall in New Jersey earlier this year
- Heavy rainfall followed by drought
- Unpredictability (fluctuation ) of weather events
All of these events are merely weather and a heavy rain does not mean a change in climate. What is ignored is stormwater runoff is mainly a land use problem. Many parts of New Jersey are not designed to handle increased population growth. Many areas have been paved over thus concentrating water into a few areas.
Could rising temperature (climate change) cause some increase in rain and thus water flow . Yes, but other than unverified computer models predicting unknown and unmeasured increases in rain the effects are guesswork.
This op-ed appears to be an excuse for state government failing to provide a necessary service.
Reference
(1`) https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2024/12/former-nj-gov-christine-todd-whitman-highlights-serious-combined-sewer-overflow-threat/
Transportation
Electric Vehicles (Cars)
Successful Electric Vehicle Registrations.
The Murphy written Energy Plan has achieved 208,000 EV registrations (1) in the state. This is extolled as a magnificent achievement! Is it? What has it accomplished?
The registration numbers are presented without context, with context, failure is revealed. The 330,000 registrations were to be achieved by the beginning of 2025 but the time was changed to the end of 2025 (2). This means 122,000 vehicles must be registered in 2025. How will this be done since the best previous registrations were 55-58,000 per year.
What has been the cost to register 208,000 vehicles. Subsides or rebates are well hidden but the most transparent figures show $150 to $250 million from 2020 to 2025 with an additional $50 million for 2025. (2`)
The program is very good at transferring wealth from ratepayers and taxpayer to EV owners.
What environmental improvement has the wealth transfer provided? How many tons of Carbon dioxide have been prevented? How many storms have been prevented or reduced in intensity? Where is that tabulated and verified? What is the reduction in sea level rise?
Simply, where are the measurable and verified benefits?
References
(1`) https://www.njspotlightnews.org/video/more-than-200000-electric-and-plug-in-cars-now-on-nj-roads/
(2`) ChatGPT
The total rebate sum for the Charge Up New Jersey Program from 2020 to 2025 is not explicitly detailed in the sources. However, annual allocations and recent data provide insights:
Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25): Allocated $50 million.
Previous Years: Assuming similar budgets for prior years and based on the program’s scale, it’s reasonable to estimate a yearly allocation of around $30–$50 million since its inception.
Estimate:
2020 to 2025: Total rebates likely range between $150 million to $250 million, considering varying annual allocations.
Electric Vehicles (Trucks)
The New Jersey state legislature previously voted to impose a California executive decision mandating EV freight truck requirements (1) in New Jersey. Whether these California rules made economic sense or any sense in New Jersey was irrelevant.
A New Jersey assembly committee voted to delay implementation of the mandate for two years, (2).
This is not a fix. If the legislature believes an EV mandate is economically required and legally permissible, they should write one applicable to New Jersey, not copy California requirements.
Reference
(1’) https://wattsupwiththat.com/2024/12/28/next-ev-battle-pits-truckers-and-red-states-against-california-led-cartel/
(2`) https://www.njspotlightnews.org/video/assembly-committee-approves-delay-of-clean-truck-rule
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