Today, a bill promoting the use of so-called ‘renewable natural gas’ (A577) was voted unanimously out of the Assembly Environment Committee. 

The legislation seeks to establish a program to purchase biogas and invest directly in costly infrastructure. Since there is very little biogas that can be recovered, critics of the industry argue that its primary function is to bolster fossil fuel gas infrastructure, while providing cover to polluters.

Food & Water Watch New Jersey State Director Matt Smith, who testified in opposition to the bill, issued the following statement: 

“Amidst the climate, public health and energy affordability crises, this bill would promote, perpetuate and inflate dirty gas in New Jersey – and working families simply cannot afford that. The gas industry’s main goal is to use dirty ‘RNG’ as an excuse to retain and expand its fossil fuel infrastructure in the face of growing public pressure to fight climate change with a rapid and just transition to clean renewable technologies.”

“Despite the gas industry promises about RNG’s potential, capturing waste carbon and producing hydrogen are expensive and energy-intensive. The fossil fuel industry plans to use these false solutions to revive dying coal and methane gas plants. In fact, existing U.S. carbon capture projects have actually led to a net increase in emissions, not a decrease.”

“RNG perpetuates reliance on fossil fuels, increases climate and other hazardous air pollution, is incredibly energy inefficient, and is extraordinarily expensive compared to other energy.”