NJ Gov. Christie Presents Energy Master Plan
TRENTON, NJ (CBSNewYork / AP) -- Gov. Chris Christie is going green, unveiling an energy master plan that would reduce the Garden State's energy carbon footprint by 22.5 percent in ten years.
The plan relies on solar, natural gas, wind and nuclear power. "Where we have lower cost, energy but also, are leading the way on renewable energy," said Christie.
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Christie said a nuclear plant should also be considered "an option.''
The state reached a deal with the owner of Oyster Creek to close the nuclear plant in 2019, 10 years earlier than its license allows.
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But environmentalists are criticizing the Republican's plan. They say Christie is cow-towing to conservatives and big oil companies because he lowered a goal of reliance of energy from renewable sources to 22.5 percent by 2021 from 30 percent.
"He's cutting back on everything," said Jeff Tittel with the Sierra Club. "It's a scam. Basically he's promoting a green scam today."
"This is a realistic and achievable number, not a pie-in-the-sky, not a fantasy number, but one we absolutely believe and have a plan we've laid out to be able to accomplish that," said Christie.
Last month Christie pulled the state from a program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, calling the pact among Northeastern states a failure.
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