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The basics:

• Founder of NJ Outdoor Alliance discusses state’s energy needs
• Says plan should balance environment, economy, affordability
• NJ Outdoor Alliance endorses one gubernatorial candidate’s energy approach

New Jersey faces a crisis, not just rising energy costs, but environmental missteps and economic strain.

Skyrocketing utility bills, stalled offshore wind projects, and degraded marine ecosystems are the consequences of an energy agenda that prioritizes ideology over practicality. New Jerseyans are being asked to pay the price, literally and figuratively.

The Murphy administration’s Energy Master Plan sought to electrify transportation and home heating while phasing out in-state electric generation. In theory, it promised a cleaner future. In practice, it has delivered higher costs, reduced reliability, and environmental harm.

Offshore wind, the master plan’s flagship initiative, has become its most visible failure. Developers like Ørsted and Shell have abandoned multibillion-dollar projects off our coast. Ørsted canceled Ocean Wind 1 and 2 in 2023, while Shell wrote off nearly $1 billion from its Atlantic Shores investment. Taxpayers are left with the bill, and New Jersey is left with a looming energy shortage.

Meanwhile, ratepayers have endured utility cost increases of more than 20%, with another 5% expected by 2026. Families are cutting back on the very activities that define quality of life.

Why it matters

Outdoor recreation is more than a pastime — it’s a pillar of our economy. Fishing, boating, hunting, and wildlife tourism generate over $2 billion in direct retail spending and support thousands of jobs. Their ripple effect contributes $4.1 billion to our economy, sustaining marinas, hatcheries, seafood processors, guides, and restaurants.

When energy costs soar, these businesses suffer. Higher overhead and reduced consumer spending threaten livelihoods and entire communities.

The impact doesn’t stop at the balance sheet. Offshore wind survey work has raised concerns among scientists and fishermen over the disruption of marine ecosystems, displacing whales, dolphins, and fish from critical habitats. If offshore wind construction proceeds, seabed disturbance can bury clams, crabs, and other keystone species. Both construction and early operating turbines can alter the migration and movement patterns of marine life.

New Jersey should not be forced to choose between a healthy environment, a thriving economy, and affordable energy.

Jack Ciattarelli offers a practical, science-based alternative. His pledge to rewrite the Energy Master Plan is more than campaign rhetoric; it’s a necessary step to restore balance.

Ciattarelli supports a diversified energy mix – natural gas, nuclear, and solar – that lowers emissions without sacrificing affordability or reliability. He understands that economic vitality, environmental health, and energy security must work together, not compete against each other.

Energy price freezes may sound appealing, but they merely delay the inevitable, leading to steeper hikes when the freeze ends.

New Jersey should not be forced to choose between a healthy environment, a thriving economy, and affordable energy. With the right leadership, we can have all three.

New Jersey Outdoor Alliance is proudly non-partisan and supports any candidate, legislator, or policymaker who aligns with natural resource conservation and responsible stewardship.

That is why the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance has endorsed Jack Ciattarelli for governor.

Anthony P. Mauro Sr. is the founder of New Jersey Outdoor Alliance, an author and former New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Transition Team member.