For Immediate Release
Media Contact: Anjuli Ramos-Busot, Anjuli.Ramos@sierraclub.org
Today, Governor Murphy requested that the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) pause their process and postpone the vote for its backup generator that was originally scheduled for today. Many local groups have vehemently opposed the proposal, including the Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC). You can read ICC’s statement here.
“I'd like to thank Governor Murphy for honoring his commitment to protecting Environmental Justice Communities, especially the Ironbound Community. We now have the law S232 and the Executive Order that is supposed to protect these communities from hazardous and toxic new and pending projects from moving forward. This is an opportunity to find alternate green renewable solutions to otherwise dirty projects,” said Renée Pollard, Environmental & Social Justice Chair, Sierra Club New Jersey Chapter. “We need to continue to protect the health and well being of these communities and Environmental Justice Advocates will be watching to ensure that happens. No More Dumping On Newark!"
The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) proposal is for a 34 MW gas fired power plant in the Ironbound community of Newark. In his statement today, Governor Murphy said, “While the proposed back up generation put forth by PVSC is meant to provide a critical climate resilience solution, it is imperative that the project adheres to the Administration’s core values on environmental justice. The pause will allow the project to undergo a more thorough environmental justice review and robust public engagement process, ensuring that the voices of the community are heard.”
“We understand that PVSC needs a backup power generation, particularly for emergency situations like Superstorm Sandy when the loss of power caused the release of sewage into the bay. This type of facility requires on-site and reliable power so that pollution disasters like this one don’t occur again. However, let us not miss the opportunity here to do it correctly and bring true renewables like wind and solar into the equation,” said Anjuli Ramos-Busot, Director of the Sierra Club New Jersey Chapter. “We thank Governor Murphy for doing the right thing and for keeping environmental justice at the forefront of his administration. New Jersey needs infrastructure resiliency, but not by overburdening those disproportionately impacted by pollution and the changing climate. We hope that this pause will actually bring about a robust environmental justice evaluation as well as a factual understanding of the climate change implications.”