Greg Lalevee, the Business Manager of International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825, wasn’t surprised by the take on natural gas in the FDU Poll on energy that dropped on Tuesday.
While the majority of respondents favored an all-of-the-above option for ways to create more generation, one possibility (more natural gas) topped all others (nuclear, solar, wind or any other proposed idea).
It’s what happens when costs hit individual pocketbooks and residents quickly want answers — in the form of bill reductions, Lalevee said.
“This shouldn’t be a political issue or even a philosophical issue — it should be a business issue,” he told BINJE.
The poll, which was sponsored by IUOE (though FDU made it clear they did not have a say in how it was done), clearly showed support for natural gas crosses party lines.
Most Democrats (70%) and even more Republicans (83%) favor building more natural gas plants. Independents checked in at 75%.
Those numbers are 14-22 percentage points higher than the feelings on building more nuclear, the next choice, while other clean energy options (wind, solar) fell more along party lines, with Democrats greatly in favor and Republicans strongly against.
More on the FDU Energy Poll:
- FDU Poll on energy: Renewables popular — and polarizing
- FDU Poll on energy: Voters unite against new data centers
- Energy survey: Residents favor all-of-the-above approach if it means more generation, lower costs
- 10 things about … the FDU/IUOE poll on energy
Dan Cassino, a professor of government and politics at Fairleigh Dickinson University, and the Executive Director of the FDU Poll, said the numbers from the poll are telling.
Residents want solutions now, he said.
“Freezing electric bills helps, but it doesn’t solve the long-term problem or bring costs back down to where they used to be,” he said. “The state needs to expand capacity, and voters don’t seem to care too much how we do it, so long as it gets done.”
That doesn’t mean other options should be discarded, Lalevee said.
Lalevee is in favor of an all-of-the-above approach — and salutes Gov. Mikie Sherrill for having a similar stance — but he said the practicality of the issue must rise to the surface.
Adding more nuclear is great and worth pursuing. He applauded recently announced efforts to reform rules around nuclear generation, a move that was applauded by utilities and unions.
Lalevee, however, said it must be done with an understanding that security and safety concerns are great. Simply put, you can’t just stick a small modular reactor anywhere in the state. And you certainly can’t do it this year.
Natural gas expansion is easier and faster. And it also could lead to more clean energy possibilities down the line, Lalevee said.
“Gov. Sherrill is leading in the right direction to support an ‘all-of-the-above’ generation strategy that includes natural gas generating plants that could include a transition to hydrogen production once it is a more available alternative,” he said.
For Lalevee, it’s simply playing the best hand when it’s needed most.
“New Jersey voters understand we need to be quickly producing more energy in our state to make electricity more affordable,” he said.
This push is nothing new for Lalevee.
Last May, he made the case for natural gas in an op-ed that garnered much attention.
Lalevee said he saw progress last November, when — just after the election — Murphy gave approval to the Northeast Supply Enhancement Project (or the NESE pipeline).
Then he saw the backlash.
Environmental groups said they felt betrayed, perhaps ignoring eight years of green energy efforts that Murphy championed.
Lalevee hopes the FDU poll shows we’re past that now. He hopes that the next effort to bring more natural gas into the state is seen for what he says it is — the fastest, easiest, smartest way to increase generation and lower bills.
