Newark Could be Home to Yet Another Gas-Fired Power Plant, Despite Long-Standing Heavy Pollution and Community Opposition

The state of New Jersey is on the brink of approving yet another gas power plant in Newark, which would be the fourth in this city alone. Earlier this year, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s (NJDEP) approved plans to move forward with the permit, despite significant community opposition. The proposed facility would be located in an already highly concentrated, heavily industrialized area, which is directly adjacent to the Ironbound neighborhood. The future of the project is now in the hands of Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC), who will be holding the final vote Thursday, May 15th at 12 pm.

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. Ironbound is a 4-square-mile community where 50,000 people reside alongside three gas-burning power plants, the state’s largest trash incinerator, and constant diesel truck traffic through the community to the port and warehouses. Chemicals emitted from toxic industries, combined with these other pollutants, contributed to higher asthma rates, elevated cancer risks, cardiovascular diseases, and shortened life spans.

“We demand clean energy and environmentally just solutions that prioritize the health and well-being of all communities. For centuries, Black and Brown communities have been disregarded and exploited, often bearing the brunt of pollution and environmental harm,” said Hazel Applewhite, CEO of Ironbound Community Corporation. “No longer will this continue without resistance from community leaders and organizations like the ICC. True stability and justice come from investing in sustainable, equitable solutions rather than relying on outdated and harmful fossil fuel practices.”

PVSC purports that a new facility is needed to prevent loss of power and overflow if a major storm hits, as happened during Hurricane Sandy. Since then, billions of dollars of energy grid improvements have been made, substations have been raised above flood levels, and PVSC’s wastewater treatment facility has been encased within a massive floodwall. Since these improvements have been made, the facility has not lost power once. Yet, despite objections from the community and the significant potential harm, the state and PVSC continue to push to allow the permit to move forward. 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.

In response, the Ironbound Community Corporation, represented by Earthjustice, has filed an appeal challenging NJDEP’s permitting decision for the newest gas-fired power plant as a violation of the state’s environmental justice law.

“PVSC’s proposal threatens to waste tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to overbuild an expensive, polluting gas plant that nobody needs. Battery storage can provide PVSC’s emergency power without threatening the health of Ironbound residents, and at a fraction of the cost,” said Jonathan Smith, senior attorney at Earthjustice. “We urge PVSC’s Board to make the only reasonable and defensible choice, and vote against the gas plant contract. ICC and Earthjustice are exploring all possible legal options if PVSC makes the arbitrary and unsound decision to approve the gas plant.”

If you are interested in attending the hearing, which will include public comments before the final vote, please RSVP for the meeting link.