How would New Jersey's candidates for governor tackle climate change? An energy crisis?
How would the candidates running for New Jersey governor address climate change and a potential energy crisis in the Garden State?
With the gubernatorial primary less than a month away, candidates from both parties are crisscrossing the state to appeal to voters about issues that affect their lives and New Jersey overall.
But that field of candidates - six Democrats and three major and two minor Republican options - can be intimidating to those who don't usually have time to pay significant attention to the people in power throughout the Garden State.
The USA TODAY Network New Jersey surveyed nine of the candidates on topics ranging from transit to taxes, affordability and the environment to give residents a frame of reference on where the potential nominees from each party stand. The candidates are listed alphabetically by party and include, for the Democrats, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, New Jersey Education Association president Sean Spiller and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney. The Republicans are state Sen. Jon Bramnick, former Assemblyman and previous nominee Jack Ciattarelli, and radio personality Bill Spadea. The responses have been edited for clarity and space.
As utility prices rise, how can New Jersey better meet its energy needs?
Baraka: We need to make serious investments in green, renewable and sustainable energy sources to meet our long-term energy demands and reduce costs.
Fulop: We need to modernize. I'll triple our state energy efficiency targets to 7%, require utilities to meet real emissions goals and help families with retrofits and weatherization. I'll also invest in moving vulnerable aboveground utility lines underground.
Gottheimer: We need an all-of-the-above energy approach - I'll prioritize more alternative energy, solar, small nuclear, wind, biomass, and additional EV chargers to encourage electric vehicles. We also need to modernize the grid to expand its capacity, so that more energy is available and we can get utility bills down for families. We don't have enough supply amid growing demand.
Sherrill: As governor, I'll reduce New Jerseyans' utility bills by taking bold action to invest in cheap, clean energy like solar - and host it on more state properties. I'll streamline approval processes to bring more projects online, assist New Jerseyans in adopting clean energy solutions, like community solar, and pressure regional grid operators - controlled by oil and gas CEOs - to plug in clean energy projects to the grid in order to save ratepayers money.
Spiller: Our energy costs are increasing because our energy grid is outdated and overburdened with our growing consumption. Not only is consumer demand for energy up, but data centers are taking up increasing amounts of electricity, putting additional pressure on the grid. In the short term, we need to expedite interconnections with new power sources, which routinely face delays. However, to create truly lasting change in our state's energy production, we need to make real investments in renewables and continue efforts to make New Jersey the leader in green and sustainable energy.
Sweeney: The BPU projects an increase of 17% or more by June, so we need to act fast. If I were governor right now, I would sue PJM, the regional energy provider for 13 states including New Jersey, to end their unfair business practices that price-gouge energy consumers and manipulate the market. Longer term, we need to halt the energy master plan and embrace all forms of energy - wind, solar, nuclear, gas and hydrogen - to meet energy demands and generate more energy for our state.
Bramnick: The state must end its one-size-fits-all energy policy and diversify the energy portfolio to include an expansion of nuclear power and clean natural gas.
Ciattarelli: Gov. Phil Murphy and Trenton Democrats bet everything on offshore wind, and it failed miserably. I will draft and implement a new energy master plan that promotes an all-of-the-above energy policy, repeal unrealistic and unaffordable state mandates and timelines regarding electric vehicle sales, household appliances, home renovation and home construction. I will also move to replace every member of the New Jersey BP who sold out New Jersey utility customers.
Spadea: We need to build more nuclear and natural gas energy plants. There are also steps that can be taken on day one, such as withdrawing from RGGI and negotiating directly with energy providers (bypassing third parties), that would immediately lower energy costs. Short-term investments in natural gas could have us energy-independent in the immediate future.
Do you think New Jersey should be courting Al data centers, which could negatively affect the state's energy grid?
Baraka: I don't believe we should discourage AI data centers. But if they want to locate in New Jersey, they must contribute to building the sustainable energy infrastructure required to support them.
Fulop: We should welcome innovation but not at the cost of reliability. Any company building a data center here will need to meet strict energy and emissions standards. If they stress our grid, they'll be required to invest in upgrading it. Smart growth means balancing tech jobs with energy stewardship.
Gottheimer: AI is here and growing. Jersey has an opportunity to be at the cutting edge of innovation, especially in our core areas like life sciences and financial services. That's where the jobs of the future will be - we can't avoid it. But we need more of the right infrastructure to help support new advancements, and, right now, we just don't have enough energy supply to keep up with the growing AI demands.
Sherrill: I am a strong supporter of the New Jersey state government's collaboration with Princeton and the private sector to develop a new AI innovation hub in the Garden State. New Jersey should be supporting entrepreneurs and start-ups in the AI sector to create good-paying jobs in our state, and data centers are a necessary part of this growing industry.
Spiller: We should not actively court data centers, but we also must acknowledge that with the growth of AI, they are now a part of our infrastructure. AI data centers take an incredible amount of energy to support that can cause stress on the systems and rate increases for consumers. Any data centers in New Jersey must be kept to the highest standards of energy consumption and adhere to our state's environmental justice law. Sweeney: These data centers are big energy consumers but also massive economic drivers. We should be courting these AI centers so New Jersey can lead the country in this sector, but it requires an all-of-the-above energy approach in order to meet that demand. We'll bring in new business, new jobs, and be a leader in revolutionary new technology, but we need to embrace all forms of energy in order to do so.
Bramnick: I believe the state should have a friendly business climate for all industries including AI data centers, but without a drastic reduction in energy costs, I doubt AI data centers would be interested in moving to New Jersey en masse.
Ciattarelli: The data centers needed to support AI present an economic development opportunity. But those centers won't be located in New Jersey unless we can meet their energy needs, which we will under my reforms as governor.
Spadea: An AI datacenter uses 12 times the energy of a traditional data center. We do not have the infrastructure to support that currently.
Would you support natural gas plants in New Jersey?
New Jersey residents are facing dramatic increases in their electric bills later this year. Critics say it's a result of the state's shortsighted policy on its energy needs. Too much hope was pinned on wind energy, a plan that has sputtered, multiple plans for natural gas power plants have either been walked back or significantly modified. In the wake of the crisis, would you reconsider those plans to build natural gas plants if elected?
Baraka: No. We absolutely need to build, but not for a fossil-fuel future. We must build for a green future powered by solar and wind.
Fulop: Our long-term goal has to be a clean energy economy, but we need to keep the lights on in the short term. That means taking a hard look at what energy sources are needed to avoid rolling blackouts while we expand wind, solar and storage.
Gottheimer: I've always believed in setting big goals and having an ambitious vision. Yet we don't have enough energy supply; demand is growing, and we just haven't built out enough supply. That's driving up rates and forcing us to buy dirty coal energy from West Virginia.
Sherrill: We have a huge opportunity to lower utility bills, increase New Jersey's energy independence, and protect our planet through solar energy. As governor, I'll increase solar on state properties, assist New Jerseyans in adopting clean energy solutions, like community solar, and hold our regional grid operators accountable for bringing clean, cheap solar energy online.
Spiller: As we face the challenges of a Trump administration hell-bent on disrupting the needed shift to clean and renewable energy to address the climate crisis, we must be determined in our goals and realistic about our needs. We should be phasing out dirty energy options as quickly as possible, knowing that the setbacks with wind will require us to be nimble in the next few years.
Sweeney: I worked hard to pass legislation for major wind and solar investments, and I saved the nuclear plants because New Jersey still has tremendous potential to be a leader in clean energy. Unfortunately, the Trump administration has gutted those plans. Despite all that, we still need to meet demand. I would build natural gas plants if elected, because while I'm committed to a cleaner energy future for New Jersey, we can't let energy prices bankrupt our residents.
Bramnick: Yes, I would reconsider those canceled projects and encourage the expansion of nuclear as well.
Ciattarelli: I would 100% expand natural gas as part of my energy reform plan mentioned above. We need to diversify our energy sources and bridge to the future, when renewable energies are more affordable and realistic.
Spadea: We're going to increase natural gas plants while ending wind and solar subsidies.
How would you tackle climate change in NJ?
The state has been affected by the ongoing climate crisis with more frequent and more powerful storms each year. What can be done to help residents face that?
Baraka: We need a regional approach to flood mitigation. Our current home-rule system leaves gaps in protection. This is a key moment to invest in resilient infrastructure and rebuild for a sustainable future.
Fulop: We'll invest in stormwater management, green infrastructure and energy systems that keep critical services running when disaster strikes. In Jersey City, we've invested nearly $1 billion in utility upgrades to eliminate combined sewer overflows and expand stormwater storage capacity. We also implemented one of the state's strongest stormwater ordinances to reduce flooding and hold developers accountable. As governor, I'll scale those strategies statewide, starting with the communities most vulnerable to flooding and extreme weather.
Gottheimer: We know that climate change is a huge challenge for our state, and I'm no stranger to taking on a challenge. I have a 97% rating from the League of Conservation Voters because I've always stood up for our environment. As governor, I'll invest in climate resiliency and clean up our beaches, waterways, forests, towns and communities.
Sherrill: From flooding to wildfires to rising temperatures, we're seeing once-in-a-generation disasters every year, jeopardizing our homes, businesses and safety. It's a threat to coastal communities and inland towns. As governor, I will create a true statewide flood mitigation and resiliency plan - and make sure we stick to it.
Spiller: To address the costs of climate change we must use an all-of-government approach, acknowledging that the cost of doing nothing is far greater than the investments required to build a clean, green economy, achieve our 2035 clean energy goals and build resiliency for our residents. I support the Climate Superfund Act as a means to both make polluters pay and provide needed revenue for progress.
Sweeney: Our state needs to do more to combat coastal erosion and protect our coastal communities, but that also extends to South Jersey's bays and waterways.
Bramnick: I believe that climate change is real and an issue that must be dealt with on an international scale. The reality is that New Jersey will not solve the problem, but we must deal with the impacts. That includes resilient building, expansion of the Blue Acres program and ensuring our beaches and dunes are replenished to protect the homes of our residents and infrastructure.
Ciattarelli: One, we can stop adding to climate issues with our foolish affordable housing mandates that are destroying the environment, increasing pollution, and overdeveloping our suburbs up and down the state.
Spadea: The climate has been changing for as long as there has been a climate. Flooding has been caused by lack of dredging and management of our flood plains. We will address this when I am governor.