New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s “Energy Master Plan” is set to ruin the state’s economy and impoverish its citizens. The Democratic governor has announced a proposal to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035 and replace them with electric vehicles, aligning the state with California’s environmentally extreme policies. California’s Air Resources Board approved the Advanced Clean Cars II rule in August 2022, which requires all new passenger vehicles sold in California to be zero emissions by 2035, but this policy has resulted in economic hardship, with skyrocketing electricity bills, environmental damage, and job losses for the working class.
Today is a good day. I am proud to announce that we're accelerating New Jersey's goal of reaching a 100% clean energy future ahead by 15 years – from 2050 to 2035.
We’ve turned our vision for a greener tomorrow into a roadmap to guide us along the way.
🗺️⬇️ pic.twitter.com/lAEAGTHahN
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) February 15, 2023
Murphy’s rule forces vehicle manufacturers to make 100 percent of their passenger cars, trucks, and SUVs electric by 2035, leading to a massive production of electric vehicles that require large amounts of mined, processed, and refined minerals to be built, meaning the cars roll off the lot having produced considerably more carbon emissions than their gas-powered counterparts. In other words, Murphy’s plan would do the opposite of reducing carbon footprints and may even lead to a net increase in emissions.
The electric vehicle mandate will also devastate the state’s economy, with Republicans warning that Murphy’s “extreme energy policies will force people to replace their affordable gas-powered cars with more expensive EVs.” Murphy’s claim that the rule “does not impose any obligations on consumers or car dealers” is blatantly dishonest, as the electric vehicles are significantly more expensive than their gas-powered counterparts. Less than one-fifth of Americans say they’re very likely to make their next vehicle an electric one, according to an Associated Press poll published in April, with respondents citing the high cost of electric vehicles. The cars on average cost about $10,000 more than their gas-powered counterparts.
New Jersey’s Sierra Club may defend Murphy’s electric vehicle policy, but the group is advocating an extreme, far-left agenda that ignores the economic reality for everyday people. Governor Murphy recently signed a bill approving major tax breaks for a foreign green energy company set to build a massive offshore wind farm off the coast of Atlantic City, which state energy experts and Republican lawmakers say will raise electric bills. The offshore wind farm will also have a devastating impact on the environment and marine life, in addition to jeopardizing the livelihoods of fishermen and coastal communities.
In conclusion, Murphy’s “California of the East Coast” plan is a disaster waiting to happen. The adoption of this policy will result in economic hardship, environmental damage, and job losses, all while doing nothing to reduce carbon footprints. New Jersey residents should be outraged by Murphy’s radical, far-left agenda, which is designed to enrich out-of-state corporations and bankrupt working-class families. The time has come to reject Murphy’s extremism and fight for a brighter future for all Americans.
