New Jersey's natural gas shortage: a policy analysis

Technical Report · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1976

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7314041· OSTI ID:7314041

Cecil, J. L.; Morell, D.

The public policy problems associated with New Jersey's natural gas shortage are extremely complex and rather difficult to examine. They involve a blend of technology, politics and economics; of regulatory mandates and profit-motivated initiatives; of Federal and state interaction and conflict. To understand the state's gas shortage and to lay the basis for recommending measures to deal with it, information about the basic technology, the organization of the gas industry, the national regulatory posture, and the possible causes of the gas shortage encompasses Part I of the overall study. In Part II, the analysis turns from the national level to a direct examination of New Jersey's gas situation. In Part III, Chapter VIII, the following are considered: the state's supply of natural gas, distribution of these supply volumes within New Jersey by the four major gas utilities, and gas consumption patterns within the state as a whole and then for each major consuming sector (electric utility, industrial, commercial, and residential). This chapter concludes with an analysis of the impacts of the gas shortage to date in New Jersey, and of its probable effects in the near-term. In the final chapter, some tentative conclusions and broad suggestions are advanced for public policies to mitigate the gravity of the state's position with respect to natural gas. Analysis proceeds, in turn, through consideration of possible state actions in several areas: increasing total interstate gas supplies; increasing New Jersey's share of whatever national total exists; making greater (or more effective) use of alternate fuels; and moderating demand for gas through aggressive conservation policies. Some short-term measures to cope better with whatever level of gas shortage exists in the state at any particular time are suggested. 151 references. (MCW)

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-02-0016
• OSTI ID: 7314041
• Report Number(s): BNL-22318
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
031000 -- Natural Gas-- Legislation & Regulations
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
294003* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Natural Gas
ALLOCATIONS
AVAILABILITY
CONSUMPTION RATES
DECISION MAKING
DISTRIBUTION
ENERGY POLICY
ENERGY SHORTAGES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENERGY SUPPLIES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INDUSTRY
MID-ATLANTIC REGION
NATURAL GAS
NATURAL GAS INDUSTRY
NEW JERSEY
NORTH AMERICA
USA