9th District Lawmakers Push For New Utility Assistance Day

OCEAN COUNTY, NJ — Sen. Carmen Amato, Jr., Assemblyman Brian Rumpf, and Assemblyman Gregory Myhre have requested the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) schedule a Utility Assistance Day for the 9th Legislative District. This request follows steep increases in utility rates affecting residents.

The delegation sent a letter to NJBPU President Christine Guhl-Sadovy, requesting the event be scheduled for 2026.

"We would like to highlight the success of the Utility Assistance Day held at the Toms River Library in February of last year. The event provided essential support to many residents and demonstrated the positive impact of bringing these resources directly into the community," Amato, Rumpf and Myhre said.

They also suggested that holding future Utility Assistance Days in Berkeley Township or Manchester Township could be even more successful. The delegation noted that both communities have large senior populations. These seniors are often in desperate need of assistance due to fixed incomes and difficulties accessing vital programs, they said.

In addition to seeking assistance days, the delegation has introduced several pieces of legislation aimed at reducing utility costs. These include S-1619 and A-2848, which would dedicate increased energy sales tax revenue to utility assistance programs. Amato reported that the state would realize an $85 million revenue increase from a 20 percent rise in electricity bills.

Further legislative efforts include S-1606 and A-1841, known as the “Small Modular Nuclear Incentive Act,” designed to expand New Jersey’s energy supply to help reduce costs. The delegation has also introduced S-3367/A-2855, which proposes diverting funds from failed Ørsted offshore wind projects back to ratepayers as direct relief for electric bills. Myhre serves on an Energy Task Force, participating in regional discussions to increase power generation and make energy more affordable.

The delegation emphasized the continued strain of rising utility costs on families, seniors, and fixed-income residents. They urged the NJBPU to bring this critical resource directly back to the communities it serves.