Defying Logic, New Jersey Green Lights Yet Another Gas Power Plant in Newark

The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) just approved a contract to construct yet another gas power plant in Newark, which will be the fourth to be constructed in this city alone. Earlier this year, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) permitted the planned gas plant. The planned facility will be located in an already heavily industrialized area, which is directly adjacent to the Ironbound neighborhood. Despite ongoing and substantive objections from the community and significant harm posed by another polluting facility, the State and PVSC disregarded their voices.

The Ironbound bears a significant brunt of the burden from pollution not only from Newark, but New Jersey overall. The neighborhood is located in one of the most heavily polluted ZIP codes in the state. The Ironbound is a 4-square-mile community where 50,000 people reside alongside three previously constructed gas-burning power plants, the state’s largest trash incinerator, and constant diesel truck traffic through the community from warehouses and the second-largest port in the country. Chemicals emitted from toxic industries, combined with these other pollutants, contributed to higher asthma rates, elevated cancer risks, cardiovascular diseases, and shortened life spans.

“Today’s vote to approve yet another gas plant in Newark is a clear example of environmental racism and systemic injustice. The commissioners and leadership of PVSC have chosen profit over the health and well-being of the predominantly Black and Latino communities of Newark. This decision disregards the voices of residents who are already suffering from disproportionate pollution, asthma, and chronic health issues. It is a shameful betrayal of their duty to serve all communities equitably. These clean energy solutions are available now, and we do not want this fossil fuel plant, one that will only cause harm and death, to be operated at all. We will continue to fight against this reckless prioritization of polluting industries and demand real, clean energy alternatives that protect our communities and our future,” said Hazel Applewhite, CEO of Ironbound Community Corporation.

PVSC purports that another gas plant facility is needed to prevent loss of power if a major storm hits, as happened during Hurricane Sandy. But their claims ignore reality. Since Hurricane Sandy, billions of dollars of energy grid improvements have been made, and substations have been raised above flood levels. Since these improvements have been made, the facility has not lost power once during subsequent flooding incidents brought on by severe storms, such as 2021’s deadly Hurricane Ida. And a new expert report highlights that, with the rising cost of gas turbines and the falling cost of battery storage, switching to a renewable alternative could save PVSC and taxpayers tens of millions of dollars in construction costs alone while more than meeting PVSC’s emergency power needs.

“The New Jersey neighborhood with the most polluting facilities doesn’t deserve yet another. But that’s exactly what PVSC voted to do today by approving the construction of the fourth gas plant in the Ironbound, ignoring nearly five hours of public comments in opposition. PVSC doesn’t need a gas plant — it can meet its emergency power needs more cheaply, cleanly, and reliably by using renewable alternatives. We are exploring all legal options to challenge PVSC’s arbitrary decision to build a boondoggle gas plant,” said Jonathan Smith, Senior Attorney at Earthjustice’s Community Partnerships Program.

Earthjustice, on behalf of ICC, filed an appeal challenging NJDEP’s permitting decision earlier this year for the newest gas-fired power plant as a violation of the state’s environmental justice law. Now that PVSC has decided to move forward with this ill-advised permit, Earthjustice and ICC are exploring every legal option to prevent the project moving forward.