Translator Disclaimers
For Immediate Release: Contact: Peter Peretzman
Date: 10/30/2020 609-984-9707

Trenton, N.J.—The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) today announced that the agency has hired Crystal Pruitt as the Deputy Director for Clean Energy Equity, where she will be charged with ensuring that New Jersey’s clean energy future is accessible to all residents. NJBPU President Joseph L. Fiordaliso announced his intention to create the role in June, underscoring the Murphy Administration’s commitment to a stronger, fairer New Jersey. Filling this new role is the first step in developing NJBPU’s Office of Clean Energy Equity, which will oversee the equitable deployment of clean energy technologies and energy efficiency programs, ensuring access for all residents, including New Jersey’s low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities. Ms. Pruitt will begin on November 23.

 

“We know that race and income level impact where people live, their health, the education they receive, and the very air they breathe. Even as we work toward cleaner air and a clean energy future in the State of New Jersey, low-and moderate-income and environmental justice communities disproportionately feel the impacts of pollution, climate change, and energy costs. At the same time, these communities have been least able to access energy savings and job opportunities. With an eye toward remedying these historic and ongoing disparities, the NJBPU has created the Office of Clean Energy Equity and I could not be more pleased to welcome Crystal Pruitt to lead this effort,” said President Fiordaliso. “Thank you to Senators Troy Singleton and Ron Rice for their advocacy in ensuring this is a priority, and to Governor Phil Murphy for his ongoing commitment to a stronger, fairer, and more equitable New Jersey that benefits all communities.”

 

Ms. Pruitt joins NJBPU after serving as Chief of Staff for New Jersey State Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker, where she focused on energy issues. A graduate of North Carolina State University and John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Ms. Pruitt transitioned to government work in 2017 as Director of Constituent Relations and Community Outreach for Assemblyman Zwicker. She moved into the Murphy Administration to work as Legislative Liaison for the New Jersey Department of Human Services before returning to the Legislative Branch as Chief of Staff to Assemblyman Zwicker.

 

Ms. Pruitt’s strong commitment to social justice, behavioral health, and criminal justice inform both her personal and professional pursuits. She works with organizations to help women secure access to reproductive health services, serves on the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General’s CLEAR (Community-Law Enforcement Affirmative Relations) Institute workgroup, and the Workgroup on Harassment, Sexual Assault and Misogyny in NJ Politics.

 

In her new role at NJBPU, Ms. Pruitt will:

 

  • Oversee the development and implementation of clean energy policies, technologies, and programs, including energy efficiency programs, to better serve New Jersey’s overburdened communities and to ensure equitable participation in clean energy programs and distribution of related benefits;
  • Work with other NJBPU teams to develop and implement programs through an equity lens, while leveraging the many existing Division of Clean Energy programs that aim to serve overburdened communities; lead the Equity Working Group and other key energy efficiency initiatives, focusing on equitable access and participation in energy efficiency programs; seek to ensure expansion of diversity in workforce development; and help establish appropriate targets as necessary for clean energy programs to ensure equity;
  • Collaborate within the agency to incorporate equity considerations in all aspects of the Board’s policies, program development, and implementation;
  • Collaborate with partner agencies in the implementation of relevant policies, programs, training, and education, liaise with community-based organizations, work within the communities to provide effective outreach on workforce training and program education initiatives and expand the dialogue between NJBPU and community leaders to ensure that programs are effectively meeting their needs; and
  • Liaise with the utilities to ensure they are prioritizing the needs of LMI communities in their provision of service.

 

Recognizing her as a trailblazer on the New Jersey political scene, PAM’s List honored Crystal as a “Woman Who Gets It Done” in 2019. She was listed on Insider NJ’s Insider 100: Millennials List in 2019 and 2020, and named as a “Rising Star” on ROI-NJ’s Influential People of Color List in 2020.

 

About the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU)

NJBPU is a state agency and regulatory authority mandated to ensure safe, adequate and proper utility services at reasonable rates for New Jersey customers. Critical services regulated by NJBPU include natural gas, electricity, water, wastewater, telecommunications and cable television. The Board has general oversight and responsibility for monitoring utility service, responding to consumer complaints, and investigating utility accidents. To find out more about NJBPU, visit our website at www.nj.gov/bpu.

 

About New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program (NJCEP)

NJCEP, established on January 22, 2003, in accordance with the Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act (EDECA), provides financial and other incentives to the State's residential customers, businesses and schools that install high-efficiency or renewable energy technologies, thereby reducing energy usage, lowering customers' energy bills and reducing environmental impacts. The program is authorized and overseen by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU), and its website is www.NJCleanEnergy.com.

 

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