New Jersey the next RGGIXT?

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DAILY ENERGY NEWS | 10/21/2025

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Time to make it a new day in the Garden State.

Restoration News (10/20/25) reports: "New Jersey's Republican candidate for governor vows to reverse policies that have made his state unaffordable, unsafe, and uncompetitive if he wins the state's hyper-competitive race in November. In an exclusive interview with Restoration News, Jack Ciattarelli—the businessman and former assemblyman who nearly unseated incumbent Democrat Gov. Phil Murphy in 2021—believes he's poised to withdraw the state from a carbon tax plan...Beginning in June, New Jersey residents experienced a 20 percent increase in electricity prices—a spike Ciattarelli blames on policies both Gov. Murphy has pursued in Trenton and Rep. Sherrill has pursued in Washington, D.C. As governor, Ciattarelli would reverse course by withdrawing from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, a highly controversial carbon tax plan. Studies show that RGGI leads to significantly higher electricity costs for residents in participating states. Under Murphy, New Jersey rejoined RGGI in 2021 after his predecessor, Republican Gov. Chris Christie pulled the state out. 'I will pull us out of RGGI on day one,' Ciattarelli said. 'The Regional Greenhouse Gas initiative is a carbon tax policy that has failed New Jersey. Seven and half years later, our air is no cleaner, our electricity's only more expensive, and a half a billion dollars a year is going to other states. We need to keep that half billion here by lowering electricity rates for homeowners, tenants, and businesses.' Ciattarelli also spelled out his vision for expanding New Jersey's energy capacity. These efforts include reopening the six power plants Murphy shut down while also lifting the moratorium on natural gas-fired power plants."

"When woke activists tell us who they are, we should believe them. This confirms exactly what Alliance for Consumers has been saying for years: Woke lawfare is a disastrous attempt to wipe products off the shelf and enact a radical climate agenda that could never pass at the ballot box or in the halls of Congress."

– O. H. Skinner,
Alliance for Consumers

California's war on energy is a war on modernity.

Sacramento Bee (10/21/25) reports: "The topic of fossil fuels, so-called 'renewable' or 'green' energy, and climate change might venture outside the purview of columnists; opinions spring forth nonetheless. It should be noted that our local economy depends on affordable gasoline and diesel for cars and trucks; 1) for convenience of lifestyle but, more importantly, 2) the life-sustaining essentials of food deliveries, shopping, medical care and, of course, getting to and from our-well, your-jobs. Life itself is only possible in this otherwise inhospitable local climate due to heating and air conditioning with natural gas and electricity (even 'swamp coolers' need it). Without being disrespectful to environmentally-obsessed advocates for eliminating fossil fuels, and the lifestyle we have collectively chosen-over the distant (even nonexistent) threat of climate catastrophe, I can only say, 'Are you nuts?'...Data says we aren't running out of fossil fuels (disputed on this page); I had to remind myself, and readers, of the literally vast deposits of oil, natural gas and coal. If those could provide cooking and electricity to third-world people, rather than wood or animal dung, their innate intelligence and industry could elevate their lifestyle and economy, as well as extend their lives. As they say, 'Google it!' 'Reserves of fossil fuel in U.S.' yields this: 'In 2024 the U.S. had an estimated 1.65 trillion barrels of technically recoverable oil and 4.03 quadrillion cubic feet of technically recoverable natural gas (Institute for Energy Research-IER)…' That's an increase of 15% (oil) and 47% (natural gas) compared to the 2011 inventory."

No worries, Big Green! If the projects are worthwhile, finding private funding won't be a problem, right?

E&E News (10/20/25) reports: "The Department of Energy has canceled more than $700 million in battery and manufacturing awards, advancing the Trump administration’s efforts to nix Biden-era energy projects. DOE told POLITICO’s E&E News on Friday that it canceled the five grants during the second week of October. The cuts appear to be the first that DOE has confirmed from a list of targeted projects circulating among lobbyists. Until now, it was unclear if DOE planned to move forward with scrapping any of the more than $20 billion in awards on the list. The $700 million covers grants that the Biden administration awarded to battery companies Ascend Elements, American Battery Technology Co., Anovion and ICL Specialty Products, as well as a glass manufacturer LuxWall, according to DOE...Wright has been leading a broad review of projects, following criteria outlined in a May memo. He defended funding cuts this month, saying that projects 'have cancellation clauses.' 'If they’re not in the interest of the taxpayers, if they’re not a good expenditure of the money, you always have the ability to cancel these projects,' he said."