Asbury Park City Council Passes 100 Percent Clean Energy Ordinance

At the Wednesday, April 14 meeting the Asbury Park City Council passed an ordinance transitioning the City to 100 percent renewable energy through a community choice energy aggregation program.

Municipal energy aggregation programs, which operate in towns and cities across the state, give residents a ‘bulk buying’ discount on their electricity bills. These community choice programs can also set guidelines about the sources of that electricity. The program in Asbury Park will reach the 100 percent renewable energy threshold by the year 2030.

The city has joined a community aggregation program launched in Red Bank last year that included the same renewable targets.

“I am proud that our City along with Food & Water Watch had the vision to write and pass a progressive policy to make sure that Asbury accelerates the transition to clean, renewable energy to protect our health and environment,” said Derek Minno-Bloom, a member of the Asbury Park Green Team. “By 2030 Asbury Park has committed to be off dirty energy and be powered by 100% clean renewables. This kind of forethought is what is needed by cities and coastal regions all over the world to right the wrong of industries that have put profit over people and a living planet.”

Food & Water Watch is working with local residents in municipalities across the state to enact similar 100% renewable energy programs. The group played a key role in creating programs in New Brunswick, Piscataway, Edison, East Brunswick, South Brunswick and Collingswood.

“Creating clean energy aggregation programs is a simple, effective step that municipalities can take right now to clean up air pollution and take real action to confront the climate crisis,” said Food & Water Watch Central Jersey Organizer Charlie Kratovil. “These campaigns also strengthen local democracies and show that climate action is possible everywhere.”