PJM Is Locked Into Fossil Power, Corporate Profits, Blocking Renewables, And Supporting Trump Madness
NJ Joined 15 States In Suing To Block Trump’s Faux “Energy Emergency”, But Far More Is Required
(Source: NY Times)
The New York Times has a killer story today about the recent Trump Administration’s declaration of an “energy emergency” on the PJM grid.
The Times story connects the dots back to the Trump Day One Executive Order that declared a national “energy emergency” and forward to not only PJM, but to the national implications regarding closure of fossil power plants (see the above map. The stakes are huge.).
Trump’s energy policy is climate suicide. PJM has joined that suicide pact.
A separate NY Times story explores the impact of Trump’s Executive Orders on allowing a Montana coal mine to expand without public and environmental reviews:
I guess I’ll now have to retract this April 19 criticism of their coverage:
While the media have covered the Trump coal power [Clean Air Act] exemptions, the media has totally failed to cover the major regulatory rollbacks the Trump administration can accomplish not only under the Clean Air Act Presidential exemption provision, but under Trump’s emergency declarations.
Virtually all federal regulations provide “flexibility” to waive, exempt, streamline, expedite, and rubber stamp environmental reviews and approvals by federal agencies, and not just EPA.
Again, to their credit, that Times story also connects the dots to the national implications, by mentioning a lawsuit filed by 15 States – including NJ – to challenge the Trump sham declaration of a national “energy emergency”.
In the PJM story, I was not surprised but outraged to read that the PJM operator SUPPORTED the sham PJM emergency declaration.
They have the expertise to KNOW that the emergency is fake and manufactured, but they SUPPORTED it for political reasons and it reveals their extreme institutional bias towards fossil power.
As far as I’m concerned, that is the final straw. PJM is out of control.
NJ must exit PJM.
Another letter to DEP and Legislators. I’ve been ranting about all this for months now, and seem to be just pissin in the wind.
Maybe a hashtag would help? DEP Commissioner Latourette is a big social media guy! #PJMEXIT
Dear Chairman Smith and Commissioner LaTourette:
As I’ve previously written, on May 30 the Trump Department of Energy declared an “emergency” on the PJM grid, and Ordered a PJM source, a Pennsylvania fossil power plant, to remain open. NJ residents, adversely impacted by this Order, have no procedural opportunity (notice and comment) to participate or protect their interests.
The Order was based on and implemented Trump’s Day One declaration of a national “energy emergency”.
New Jersey is one of 15 States suing the Trump administration over that faux emergency declaration. (for the filing, see this link.)
The NY Times today has a very good story on the Order, PJM, and the national implications, see:
“The grid operators in Michigan and Pennsylvania said they hadn’t asked for the orders and hadn’t planned on using the plants this summer.
The costs to keep the plants open, which could total tens of millions of dollars, are expected to fall on consumers. Experts have said there’s little evidence of a national energy emergency, and 15 states have sued to challenge President Trump’s declaration, which was issued the day he took office.”
Despite the obvious sham of the emergency and the suicidally poor policy of keeping fossil plants open, the PJM Operator issued a May 31 Press Statement in support of the Order, see:
As you also know, prior to this recent climate madness, PJM increased capacity charges almost 10 fold, and has delayed connection approvals for new renewable sources, leading to 20 – 30% price spikes for NJ energy consumers.
This is intolerable. PJM is out of control.
NJ must take control of its energy future.
It will take far more than a lawsuit to remedy the current situation.
The Legislature and Governor Murphy have an obligation to protect NJ consumers and NJ’s State energy, environmental, public health, and climate policies.
To honor those obligations, the Legislature must explore all options, including leaving the PJM grid, to protect NJ from PJM’s fossil madness.
When will you conduct public hearings, a policy evaluation, and explore options, including leaving PJM and forming a NJ independent operator or joining New York’s system?
Bill Wolfe