Partisan Divide Deepens in NJ Over Soaring Energy Costs

By Frank Brill, EnviroPolitics Editor

New Jersey lawmakers from both parties are sounding the alarm over escalating energy costs, but their views on the root causes—and the best solutions—couldn’t be more different. Two recent hearings on energy affordability underscored the growing urgency of the issue, while highlighting stark partisan divides over how to address it.

In a joint legislative hearing this week, Democratic members of the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee and the Senate Select Committee grilled executives from the state’s four major utility providers—PSE&G, JCP&L, Atlantic City Electric, and Rockland Electric—over rising rates set to hit customers in June. Lawmakers demanded greater accountability, questioning whether utilities could do more to shield residents from rate hikes.

“Our constituents are having to choose between paying for electricity and paying for food or medicine,” said Assemblywoman Andrea Katz (D-Atlantic, Burlington). “We need real ideas, not vague answers.”

Assemblyman Dave Bailey (D-Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem) pressed utility leaders on whether modest reductions in their return on investment could ease financial burdens on consumers. Others questioned the influence of PJM Interconnection—the organization responsible for managing the region’s electric grid—arguing that delays in integrating clean energy projects have constrained supply and driven prices up.

Meanwhile, Republican Senators Michael Testa (R-01) and Carmen Amato, Jr. (R-09) criticized what they called the Democrats’ “Energy Disaster Plan,” accusing the majority party of pushing aggressive energy mandates without considering grid reliability or economic impact.

“Democrats gambled on an energy plan that was utopian in ideas but dystopian in results,” said Sen. Testa. “Now, with public outrage escalating and energy bills surging, they’re scrambling to shift blame.”

Sen. Amato echoed the sentiment: “They bet on alternative energy sources and lost. Instead of accountability, we get political theater and broken promises.”

Senate Republicans have introduced legislation aimed at correcting course. The “Energy Security and Affordability Act” would require the state’s Energy Master Plan to account for energy diversity, security, and affordability, and mandate detailed impact analyses before greenlighting major projects. Sen. Testa also recently introduced S4285, calling for the abolition of the Board of Public Utilities (BPU), citing its failure to protect ratepayers. Sen. Amato has called for energy sales tax windfalls to be returned to consumers.

Despite their differences, lawmakers from both sides agree that affordability must be prioritized. Assembly Democrats have advanced several bills to help, including the recently signed A4817, which creates an “Energy Bill Watch” program that lets smart meter customers track usage and set alerts to manage their energy bills more effectively.

With June rate increases looming, the pressure is mounting on Trenton to find common ground—or risk leaving New Jersey residents and businesses stuck with the bill.


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Agriculture lobbyist to lead EPA’s Region 3

Amy Van Blarcom-Lackey

From Northcentral PA.com

A Bradford County, Pennsylvania farmer has been named the new EPA administrator for the Mid-Atlantic region.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced President Trump’s appointee for the Mid-Atlantic region administrator position, who will oversee the implementation of federal environmental laws and priorities in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Washington, D.C., West Virginia, and the Chesapeake Bay.

The new appointee is Amy Van Blarcom-Lackey, a lifelong conservationist who grew up on a dairy farm in Bradford County. She brings experience with her family’s farm, work in the financial industry, and the intersections between business, environmental, and community needs. 

“Amy’s experience and dedication to both agriculture and the environment make her a tremendous asset to the agency and the Mid-Atlantic Region,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “I am confident she is well equipped to carry out our mission and help deliver on our agenda to Power the Great American comeback.”

Van Blarcom-Lackey has a robust history of service. She was appointed the first Agricultural Ombudsman in Pennsylvania, addressing conflicts related to agriculture, land use, and environmental planning. She has over a decade of experience as a lobbyist for state and federal agricultural interests and over 20 years of experience in finance and business management.

“My commitment to sustainability traces back to over 30 years ago, when I founded a county-wide environmental group focused on watershed management and agricultural best practices. I’m excited to harness my passion for the environment to facilitate progress and support the Great American Comeback under the leadership of Administrator Zeldin and President Trump,” said Regional Administrator Van Blarcom-Lackey.

Read the full story here


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Dallas sues 3M, DuPont over ‘forever chemicals’ in water

The lawsuit aims to hold polluters responsible for cleaning up the contamination and covering water treatment costs.

One of several sedimentation basins at the Bachman Water Treatment Plant


By María Ramos Pacheco, Dallas Morning News

The city of Dallas is suing 3M, DuPont and other chemical companies, alleging they contaminated some of the area’s drinking water.

The lawsuit alleges 3M and other companies manufactured and sold PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances), often called “forever chemicals.” PFAS are known to be toxic, extremely persistent in the environment and capable of causing significant health risks.

Related: What to know about Dallas water systems and new federal limits on ‘forever chemicals’

PFAS are a group of synthetic chemicals used in various consumer products, such as nonstick metal coatings for cookware, paper food packaging, facial creams and cosmetics. The chemicals were used in Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF), a foam commonly used by firefighters to suppress fires.

The city says the foam was released over the years into its water system and soil. Many residential locations with groundwater contaminated by PFAS are near military bases or airports where AFFF firefighting foam was regularly used.

The city’s attorney’s office and 3M declined to comment.

The lawsuit is part of a multidistrict litigation brought by multiple public water providers and individuals against the companies that manufactured and sold these products. The city sued in January and filed an updated version on Feb. 28 in a District Court in Charleston, South Carolina.

Gale Pearson, a senior partner with the Dallas-based Nachawati Law Group, has been part of the plaintiffs’ executive committee on AFFF litigation. “The cat is out of the bag,” and companies can no longer deny the harmful effects of these chemicals, Pearson said.

Read the full story here


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Jersey Pinelands fire continues to rage; arson suspect, 19, arrested

By Raven Santana, NJ Spotlight News Correspondent | April 24, 2025 |

As of Thursday afternoon, the Jones Road Wildfire in Ocean County was 50% contained, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.

Officials announced that a 19-year-old man was arrested on arson charges related to the massive wildfire. Prosecutors say Joseph Kling of Waretown allegedly started a bonfire with wooden pallets in the Forked River Mountains Wilderness Area but failed to fully extinguish the bonfire before he left. Kling is being held at the Ocean County Jail pending a hearing.

The fire was fueled by drought, blustery winds and relatively low humidity. No homes were damaged and officials have not reported any injuries. One business in Lacey Township that backs up to the woods was destroyed along with several vehicles.

Robert Nosti, the president and co-owner of Liberty Door & Awning, says he’s still coming to terms with the damage from the Jones Road fire, which destroyed his family-run business. “The next morning, it’s surreal, complete devastation; your whole life flashes in front of you,” Nosti said.

Hot spots remained visible Thursday in the charred forest.

David Robinson, the New Jersey state climatologist, says with the winds picking up, the air quality is “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”

“There’s a chance that our prolonged drought was part of the issue. The fact that we had a fire after ten days without any rain and dry conditions, windy days, warm days is recipe particularly in the spring for fire,” Robinson said. “Once the fire is extinguished, the air quality should improve rather quickly even at the local scale. What you really need is some rain to come down and clean out the atmosphere.”

Robinson says there’s rain in the forecast for the weekend, which will help firefighters to completely contain the wildfire.

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NJ Republican Senators call for action on forest fire prevention and energy costs

As New Jersey faces escalating challenges, state senators are intensifying their calls for urgent action on two critical fronts: forest fire prevention and energy cost reform.

By Frank Brill, EnviroPolitics Editor, April 23, 2025

In the wake of massive wildfires devastating New Jersey, Senators Parker Space (R-24) and Latham Tiver (R-8) are urging the Senate Environment and Energy Committee, where Democrats hold a majority, to convene a hearing with state and local officials to address forest management practices.

Despite their formal request in February, no hearing has been scheduled.

“Abnormally high winds and dry conditions have significantly increased the risk of wildfires,” said Sen. Space. “Our hearts go out to the thousands of residents forced to evacuate and the brave fire servicemembers battling the flames. These fires highlight the urgent need to reassess and strengthen our forest management strategies.”

A massive wildfire in Ocean County’s Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area has already consumed 12,500 acres, forcing evacuations under a state of emergency. Days earlier, another fire in Cumberland County’s Peaslee Wildlife Management Area burned over 1,300 acres.

Sen. Tiver emphasized the need for immediate action: “While discussions about food waste (the topic of discussion today in the state legislature’s joint environmental committees) are important, we cannot delay addressing an issue that is literally burning before our eyes. It’s time for the Legislature, the Governor, and the DEP to step up and confront this escalating threat head-on.”

Energy Costs: A Call for Accountability

Meanwhile, at today’s New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) hearing, the board approved a staff recommendation for public electric utility companies to propose measures to defer energy bill increases until after the election. Senators Anthony M. Bucco (R-25) and Michael Testa (R-01) criticized the move as a political gimmick.

“It’s a five-alarm fire in the Democrat Party to contain the fallout of their costly, failing energy policies,” said Sen. Bucco. “This isn’t relief; it’s a smokescreen. New Jerseyans need accountability, transparency, and real reform—not more political theater.”

Sen. Testa echoed these sentiments, calling the BPU’s actions “dishonest and irresponsible.” He recently introduced legislation (S-4285) to abolish the NJBPU, arguing that the agency has failed to protect consumers. Senate Republicans have also proposed the “Energy Security and Affordability Act” (S-2839) to prioritize in-state energy sources and require economic impact analyses for energy projects.


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