New Jersey tries to upstage California on green energy policies

New Jersey is forging ahead with ambitious clean energy rules that take after California, prompting critics to warn that a hasty transition away from fossil fuels is unachievable and comes with a steep price tag.

In some cases, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is taking actions that would outpace green policies in California, which is known for spearheading left-wing laws that other liberal-leaning states emulate.

The League of Conservation Voters stripped Mr. Murphy this year of his title as “America’s Greenest Governor.” While downgrading the Democrat, the league praised his environmental record but cited competition from other states. Since then, Mr. Murphy has taken executive actions to accelerate New Jersey’s transition from gasoline-powered vehicles and fossil-fuel power plants.

In his latest clean energy provision, Mr. Murphy announced a rule this month to mirror one in California to phase out the sales of new gasoline-powered automobiles by 2035 in favor of electric vehicles. Once the rule is implemented, New Jersey’s EV market share of new vehicles sold would have to jump from 9% to 35% by 2027 and increase steadily until it reaches 100% in 2035.

“We build upon our nation-leading record of bold climate action while delivering on our promise to utilize every tool at our disposal to combat the intensifying climate crisis,” Mr. Murphy said.

The red-hot national debate over gas stoves is also raging in New Jersey, where Mr. Murphy wants to electrify cooktops and transition away from natural gas.

Earlier this year, Mr. Murphy moved the state’s goal of reaching 100% clean electricity from 2050 to 2035. The endeavor would overtake California’s goal of achieving 100% green energy by 2045.

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved a voluntary incentives program last week to switch from natural gas to electric. State lawmakers from both parties expressed concern that the move was a precursor of a natural gas ban for new buildings like those in New York and cities in California.

“The Murphy administration doesn’t seem to care that people don’t want to replace their gas stoves or undertake expensive conversions to electric furnaces and water heaters,” said state Senate Republican Leader Anthony Bucco. “It’s disturbing that Gov. Murphy is trying to circumvent the Legislature by having the BPU rubber-stamp his plan to transform how millions of New Jersey homes are powered.”

In another bid to ditch fossil fuels and go green, Mr. Murphy signed an executive order this year to install zero-carbon-emission heating and cooling systems in 400,000 homes and 20,000 commercial properties and to make 10% of all low- to moderate-income properties electrification-ready by 2030.

Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey, the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee, praised the governor’s actions on climate change, including the EV mandate.

During a recent hearing on Capitol Hill, he lauded New Jersey for taking steps “to voluntarily adopt those standards to protect people from dangerous air pollution.”

A dozen Democratic-run states have adopted California’s EV regulation. They include New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Vermont, Oregon and Washington.

New Jersey is reworking its Energy Master Plan, which manages how electricity is supplied, after questions about the cost of moving away from fossil fuels. The overhaul is not expected to be completed until next year.

New Jersey Republicans and industry groups fear the state’s residents will be footing a hefty energy transition bill. Mr. Murphy has promised more transparency about economic costs and impacts on ratepayers.

A study approved by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities concluded last year that the average cost of household utilities could decline up to 16% by 2030, but only with green alternatives such as electric vehicles and home appliances. Otherwise, costs are projected to increase.

The analysis failed to factor in the large upfront costs of going electric in the home and on the road. It also was based on the previous goal of transitioning to 100% clean electricity by 2050, not 2035.

A study published this year by Affordable Energy for New Jersey, a group tied to the utility industry, predicted that achieving 100% clean electricity by 2050 would cost $1.4 trillion.