NEWARK, NJ — A pair of Green Party candidates for Congress in New Jersey are calling on the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) to abandon its plan to build a controversial power plant in Newark.
On Thursday, Christina Khalil, who is running for U.S. Senate, and Jon Serrano, who is running for a U.S. House seat in New Jersey’s 10th District, issued a joint statement opposing what they called a “new and unnecessary, polluting power plant.”
The PVSC wants to build a natural gas power plant at its existing wastewater treatment facility at 600 Wilson Avenue. The proposal is part of a resiliency blueprint that sprang up in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
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During the now-infamous storm, the PVSC wastewater facility in Newark was flooded, spilling billions of gallons of raw or partially-treated sewage into the Passaic River. Read More: Superstorm Sandy Caused Flood Of Excrement In New Jersey 10 Years Ago
Since then, the PVSC has rolled out a sweeping series of renovations to avoid future calamities. Part of that plan includes building a plant which would provide backup power to their wastewater treatment plant if the grid goes down.
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The PVSC has maintained that the plant will use state-of-the-art emission controls and will have a “negligible impact to the community,” only being used as a backup when a storm cuts out power. Spokespeople have said the agency continues to explore clean energy alternatives for the facility, and is planning to integrate solar and batteries as part of the project. The agency said it is also working with Siemens – the manufacturer of the turbines that would be used to operate the facility – to transition the fuel used in the turbines from natural gas to a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen and then to 100% hydrogen. Read More: Sewerage Commission Defends Newark Power Plant Proposal, Cites Sandy
But while advocates say they understand the need to build resilience in the face of the climate crisis, they insist that the PVSC should do so with a solution that “prioritizes as much renewable energy as possible and doesn’t involve a new “dirty energy power plant,” especially in a neighborhood that’s been long-plagued with environmental hazards – including several other power plants.
The proposal has seen pushback from several elected officials, including the Newark City Council and Mayor Ras Baraka.
Now, two Green Party candidates are adding their voices to the mix.
“It’s time we prioritize ethical, green, and renewable energy sources over profit-driven projects that harm vulnerable communities,” Khalil said. “I urge local officials to reject the proposal and protect Newark residents’ health and dignity.”
Serrano said he “stands firmly” against the commission’s plan to build a power plant in the 10th District, which includes part of Newark in addition to other nearby municipalities.
“The Passaic River is already plagued with severe pollution, and this project will exacerbate the environmental crisis,” Serrano said. “Newark and surrounding communities face unsafe drinking water containing cancer-causing chemicals. Adding further industrial strain is unacceptable.”
“We need to prioritize the health of our residents and invest in sustainable solutions, not add to the pollution,” he added.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE LAW
A major rallying point for activists has been New Jersey’s landmark environmental justice law, which they allege that the plant would violate. Read More: NJ Activists Hope For ‘Turning Point’ With Environmental Justice Law
Under the law, an “overburdened community” must have at least 35 percent of households that are low-income, 40 percent of residents who are minorities or belong to a state-recognized tribal community, or 40 percent of households that have limited English proficiency.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) designates the Ironbound section of Newark as an overburdened area because it has a high percentage of low-income and minority residents.
However, the NJDEP recently announced that the state will allow the plan to move forward, with Commissioner Shawn LaTourette saying the facility will be taking measures to reduce its environmental footprint, including better pollution controls on boilers that treat sewage sludge, replacing older equipment, and installing more solar panels and batteries. He added that there will be “no disproportionate impact” on minority communities. See Related: Controversial Power Plant In Newark Can Move Ahead, Official Says
After the NJDEP announced its decision, a spokesperson for the PVSC gave Patch the following reaction:
“The PVSC has received the decision and is reviewing it. We note, however, that the decision specifically ‘does not constitute a permit to construct or operate the proposed SPGF or any activity otherwise regulated by [the NJDEP].’”
Several New Jersey state lawmakers who represent the area criticized the NJDEP’s announcement, including Sens. Teresa Ruiz and Renee Burgess, and Assembly members Eliana Pintor Marin, Shanique Speight, Cleopatra Tucker and Garnet Hall.
“The NJDEP’s approval of the PVSC power plant in the Ironbound neighborhood is an indefensible and hypocritical decision that blatantly violates New Jersey’s Environmental Justice Law,” Ruiz said.
“The people most affected by this act will bear the health and psychological brunt, particularly the children who reside in these neighborhoods, unlike the decision-makers who remain comfortably detached from the consequences of their shocking and reprehensible actions,” the senator added.
The Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC), which has been a vocal opponent of the proposal, blasted the NJDEP’s announcement and questioned the sewerage commission’s reasoning.
“The PVSC argues that an additional fossil fuel power plant in Newark is necessary to prevent power outages and subsequent street flooding,” the nonprofit stated. “Despite severe storms like Henry and Ida, which brought record-breaking rainfall to our neighborhood, PVSC has not suffered any power outages since Superstorm Sandy. Their assessment of alternatives, such as solar and battery storage, was conducted over a decade ago and did not account for the significant advancements in solar and battery technologies since then.”
“It is morally irresponsible for PVSC to proceed with this fossil project amidst climate change, heat waves, and advancements in clean energy,” charged Maria Lopez-Nunez, deputy director of organizing and advocacy at the ICC.
“Adding another power plant to our already burdened neighborhood is a racist decision that disregards community health and environmental justice,” she said.
DEP HEARING, COMMENTS
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is currently accepting comments from the public regarding the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission’s application for a Significant Modification to its Title V Operating Permit. The modification would allow the Commission to operate the proposed Standby Power Generation Facility in accordance with the restrictions set forth in a draft permit proposed by NJDEP.
The public comment period runs from August 30, 2024, through October 29, 2024. For more information, see https://dep.nj.gov/boss/public-notices/ or call (609) 292-6722. Read the notice in Spanish here.
In addition, the NJDEP will hold a public hearing on Oct. 1 at Sport Club Portuguese, 55 Prospect Street in Newark. The public hearing will start at 5:30 p.m. and end by 9:30 p.m. A virtual attendance option is available via https://bit.ly/PVSCAirPermit24.
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