Supporters rally for omnibus electrification bill including electrifying NJ Transit

JERSEY CITY – As we focus on environmental efforts this week, Mayor Steven M. Fulop and the City Council are moving forward to electrify transportation in Jersey City and serve as a model to expand green technology to every part of the state.  On Tuesday, April 23^rd at 11:30 a.m., Mayor Fulop will join environmental and transportation advocates outside City Hall call on state leaders to pass S2252/A4819 to address pollution from cars, trucks and buses in New Jersey.  At the event, Mayor Fulop will drive one of the electric vehicles and press will have the unique opportunity to go inside the latest electric vehicles on the market. 

“Part of our mission is to work towards being a more environmentally conscious city, which is why we are leading the state in building the infrastructure for a more sustainable and resilient future,” said Mayor Fulop. â€œBy incorporating electric vehicles into our municipal fleet, and providing charging stations for the community, we are taking necessary steps towards increasing quality of life with cleaner, healthier air. It is my hope that this encourages other communities in the state to do the same.”

Jersey City continues to lead the state in many progressive initiatives.   The installation of solar panels will start at the DPW building, and expand to other municipal buildings.  The city also recently launched the first-ever Backyard Composting Pilot.  In addition, Jersey City is the first in the state to ban plastic bags, and supports the recently formed Office of Sustainability to continue to take the lead on green advancements.  These latest advancements, in conjunction with the expansion of the city’s electric municipal fleet, continue Jersey City’s transformation as one of the largest environmentally friendly cities.

Jersey City is leading the race for electrification in New Jersey, but cannot act alone in solving the climate crisis. The omnibus electrification bill would create stronger cash incentives for electric vehicle (EV) buyers and install more than 1,000 EV charging stations over the next two years in our downtowns and along high-traffic roadways. It directs NJ Transit to electrify their bus fleet on a state level, and ensures development of advanced mobility solutions and other transportation alternatives that serve environmental justice communities.

“Electric vehicles are coming, and New Jersey needs to be ready,” said Doug O’Malley, Director of Environment New Jersey. â€œBy taking steps to improve our EV infrastructure and accelerate the transition to electric transportation, New Jersey can create the road map for other states to follow.”

In the most densely populated state in the country, with 9 million people, we have more than 3 million registered vehicles, and we suffer from some of the worst regional air pollution. North Jersey and New York City ranked as the 10th worst metropolitan area in the U.S. for ozone levels, the main ingredient in smog that can trigger asthma attacks. New Jersey traffic congestion ranks within the top ten worst of the country—and with that comes lowered air quality and massive amounts of fossil fuels used to transport our state’s significant population of commuters around the metropolitan region. Not surprisingly, the transportation sector is the leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions in the state.

“Transitioning away from gasoline powered to electrical cars is a necessary step to address climate change,” Ward E Councilman James Solomon said.  “Jersey City should continue to pursue policies that accelerate that trend.”

“As technology advances, it is imperative that we look at ways to improve our environment.  Greener options are on the rise and are a topic that the City is taking serious steps to include in the conversation throughout the City,” said Ward A Councilwoman Denise Ridley.

Since the inaugural Earth Day in 1970, we’ve made a lot of progress to clean up our air, but New Jersey can do a lot more to reduce pollution. On Tuesday, Jersey City officials will take the wheel to drive toward progress. And they will in a variety of electric cars on the market.

“Nearly 50% of greenhouse gas emissions in New Jersey come from the transportation sector. While we need statewide commitments from big players like NJ Transit and the Murphy Administration, municipalities can lead the fight by encouraging communities to move towards electrification,” said Norah Langweiler, campaign organizer for Jersey Renews. â€œCreating space for electric infrastructure on a local level through amendments to zoning ordinances and investing in electric vehicle supply equipment at municipally-owned sites is foundational work for an efficient transition to a clean energy future.”

“What would Jesus, Moses, Mohammad, the Buddha or Lord Krishna drive?  Without doubt, an electric vehicle,” said Rev. Fletcher Harper, Director of the interfaith environmental organization GreenFaith.  “Less air pollution and less climate change means healthier communities and saving lives.  There’s just no question that we need state policies that make EV’s the new normal.”

“For New Jersey to combat climate change and meet our goals to reduce emissions, we have to adjust how we get around by expanding options such as public transit.And for trips that have to be made by car, we also need more people to be driving electric cars,” said Morgan Folger, Clean Cars Advocate for Environment New Jersey.

The Assembly should support bill A4634 and jumpstart New Jersey’s electric vehicle revolution. The bill must pass the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee before it can move to the floor.

“Electric vehicle ride and drives provide a unique education and outreach opportunity since it blends the excitement of new technology and a phenomenal driving experience, with information about how New Jersey can clean the air and decrease air pollution from greenhouse gases. EVs aren’t slow golf carts anymore- they have instant torque, a variety of cool tech features, and are hitting the market in a variety of vehicle shapes and sizes. ChargEVC is proud to support EV ride and drives which teach the public about this transformative technology and we look forward to bringing cleaner air and big economic benefit to the state as EV adoption increases in the coming years,” said Ashley Lynn Chrzaszcz, Associate at Gabel Associates and Representative of ChargEVC.

“New Jersey’s biggest source of air pollution is from cars and trucks. Over 40% of GHG in this state come from mobile sources. Our state however has been gridlocked when it comes to moving forward with electric vehicles. These emissions can be easily cut by implementing EV technology. We need to use legislation like S2252 (Smith) to advance EVs and especially EV infrastructure in our state. This is especially important if the state wants to achieve its 330,000 EVs on the road by 2025. We also need to target EV’s to low and moderate income areas while developing programs to create jobs,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “Our state used to be a leader in innovation and transportation and can be again in clean transport. Governor Murphy and the legislature need to remove the roadblocks and accelerate movement towards electric vehicles.”

Environment New Jersey is a statewide policy and action group. Our staff and members work to protect the places we love, advance the environmental values we share, and win real results for our environment.