NEW JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has laid out some ambitious plans to combat climate change during a speech at Rutgers University Wednesday.
Murphy says his goals include moving up the target to have the state’s economy be 100 percent powered by clean energy by 2035.
“I'm signing today an additional executive order directing the board of public utilities to engage with all stakeholders from across the energy industry, organized labors, environmental spaces, to take on the big question of the future,” he said. “These are going to be far-reaching challenges to be sure.”
The plan has already drawn some pushback — Republicans in Trenton say in part the plan will force people into electric cars, limit access to natural gas, and create expensive new standards for builders, all of which consumers will pay for, with no estimate on how much from Murphy.
New Jersey will join 12 other states already working to require that all new cars and light-duty trucks sold by 2035 be zero-emission vehicles.