Following from Seth Gerchberg, resident of Shadow Lake Village: (latest update 11/4/2019)
- NJNatural Gas (more correctly named NJ Fracked Gas) is moving to quickly get permissions to run gas pipes in Shadow Lake Village
- letter will soon be sent to residents
- opportunity to address Board of Trustees at their meeting, 1st week of Dec, 2019
- NJNG is arranging a planning meeting [with SLV board?] the 2nd week? of December, 2019 to get permission to run the gas pipes
Seth suggests a strategy to communicate that continuing with electric energy is preferable to switching to gas:
- arrange meeting with residents;
- send letters; distribute flyer
- phone calls
- (door-to-door is NOT permitted in Shadow Lake Village- a gated community)
Related info that supports electric rather than new gas installations:
- ELECTRIC HEAT (via heat pumps) IS CHEAPER THAN GAS FOR ALL EXCEPT LOWEST WINTER TEMPS.
Plan to develop and show simple calculation & graphical display: output therms (& gas cost) of gas furnace, vs output therms (& electric cost) of heat pump at 40 degrees, 30, 20 degrees
- A FUTURE CARBON TAX IS LIKELY, AND MAKE GAS MORE EXPENSIVE
.Several bi-partisan carbon fee and dividend and various carbon tax bills have been introduced in US legislature (HR763 and several others). Something is likely to be signed into law, but after current administration. Carbon tax is initially a$15-$20/ton up to $70/ton (and rising higher). A carbon fee bill has been proposed by Princeton University Sustainability students. They are lobbying the NJ legislature for passage of such a NJ bill... WOrld-wide economists believe a carbon tax is required. It is a major tool for market-decisions to reduce GHG emissions.
- NJ POLICIES WILL SOON SUPPORT ELECTRIC OVER GAS
On Nov 1, 2019, a NJ BPU consultant reported the least cost path to meet 2050 emission goals. Natural gas usage is shown to start dropping immediately (in 2020). Rapid reduction starts within 10 years as conversion of gas to electric picks up speed. NJ is expected to introduce policies that drive this conversion.
The Nov 5 meeting will include professional Communication Trainer Mary Reilly to help in planning:
identify goals
draft talking points
develop handouts
RELATED: Plan an early 2020 Middletown town meeting (date/time tentative, pending library confirmation) for a short presentation “Middletown Vision 2050”, and to share information on a “Community Choice” Renewable Government Energy Aggregation program to save Middletown residents 5 to 10% on their electric bills, by switching to renewable electricity. Location/time TBD
TOPICS at future community meetings:
- Celebrate Middletown Silver Certification and plan next steps:
- Grant for
Energy Plan;
- move toward "Gold Star in Energy",
- present “Middletown Vision 2050”, and
- begin to share one Energy Plan activity: “Community Choice” Renewable Government Energy Aggregation program, which saves year-round utility bills by creating a “Community Choice” electrical plan