Prompt the NJ Assembly to pass the Clean Energy Equity Act to ensure that low-income communities benefit from a clean energy transition.
According to the US Census, low-income households, on average, have a deplorable energy burden three times higher than that of higher-income households. Despite this, low-income households are less likely to benefit from energy infrastructure and the growing clean energy industry but are still more likely to bear the brunt of the harm caused by fossil fuels in the forms of climate change as well as air and water pollution. Overburdened communities contribute to the funds that support the clean energy programs helping New Jersey transition to a clean energy economy, however, they are being denied the economic, financial, or environmental benefits that they have a right to and deserve just as much as the middle and high-income communities. This is an environmental injustice that should not be allowed, and that needs to be stopped. We must ensure that ALL New Jerseyans experience the much-deserved benefits of climate and greater energy resilience, along with economic growth.
The Clean Energy Equity Act will:
Create an Office of Clean Energy Equity to ensure the equitable deployment of clean energy infrastructure and technology.
Provide clean energy curriculum and paid solar workforce training programs for at least 2,500 individuals from overburdened communities.
Have the Department of Labor provide grants and programs to develop curriculums centered on clean and solar energy.
Reduce the energy burden of 250,000 low-income households by deploying onsite solar energy and increasing energy efficiency
Deploy 400 megawatts of energy storage in overburdened communities.
Require that all new construction in low-income and environmental justice communities be solar-ready.
Allocate 10% of the Board of Public Utilities annual clean energy budget ($50 million) to the above activities each year.
This will all help strengthen the energy resilience of overburdened communities and ensure that they are not left behind in NJ’s clean energy transition. NJ needs to move to a clean energy economy now, and it needs to include EVERYONE.
The act has already passed the NJ Senate! Help push it further by signing this petition to tell your Assembly members to COSPONSOR this bill (S.2484), and, when it comes to the floor, vote YES.
Want to do more? Go to this action toolkit: http://tiny.cc/CEEAaction
The Clean Energy Equity Act is endorsed by Clean Water Action, EarthJustice, Energy Efficiency Alliance of NJ, Environment NJ, Greenfaith, GRID Alternatives, Isles, Neighborhood Sun, New Jersey Citizen Action, NJ League of Conservation Voters, NJ Sustainable Business Council, PosiGen, Sierra Club NJ Chapter, Solar United Neighbors, Solstice, NJ Student Sustainability Coalition, and UU FaithAction NJ. It is being pushed by NJ Shines, a coalition of environmental, industry, and faith organizations united by the goal of a resilient and equitable solar-powered NJ.