B.L. England Permit Rubberstamped by Christie Admin.: Dirty Deal for Dirty Air

The NJDEP has approved the air permit for the B.L. England power plant, which is written loosely and it will not only allow it to re-power, but increase operations and air pollution. Instead of building a new plant, based on current regulations, the plant will still operate their old units 2 and 3 for the next 5 years, while it is building the new plant. Then, once it is built, they will be able to use these units plus burn additional natural gas and oil 24/7 365 days per year, increasing emissions by 500 percent. With this permit, the Christie Administration has been delaying the closing so it can be re-powered, instead of re-built so it doesn’t have to be as clean. The DEP has not only failed to listen to our comments, but the public outcry against re-powering the plant and the South Jersey Gas Pipeline. Their flawed response to comment document can be found attached.

“The DEP has just rubberstamped a dirty deal for dirty air. This permit is allowing the B.L. England plant to close instead of replacing it with renewables. Instead of closing it like the DEP was supposed to, they are allowing it to increase pollution based on its current emissions by 500 percent. When you read the response to comment document, they tap dance around the facts and do not give a straight answer when it comes to the air quality impacts from this plant. Their response is full of deliberate misinformation because it will allow the plant to increase emissions. They are saying this permit will allow the plant to reduce emissions when that part of the plant hasn’t operated for years. They also lied by saying if this plant closed down, the region would depend on out-of-state dirtier power and get dirty energy. That is not true because those out-of-state plants are being replaced by renewables,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “Instead of the Department of Environmental Protection, the DEP has become the ‘Department of Excessive Pollution.’ They have not only failed to address our comments, but ignored the overwhelming majority of people who demanded they deny this permit. All the other individuals had 40 comments each, but the Sierra Club was able to get in 425 public comments. The overwhelming public comment from almost 100-1 demanded DEP close this plant.

Under the Administrative Consent Order (ACO), B.L. England had to inform NJDEP by May 1, 2016 if they wanted to close for good. The Sierra Club sued the EPA to require that the Christie Administration to close or clean-up the plant in 2007, because it could not meet Clean Air Act standards, but the Administration extended it three times. This permit will allow B.L. England to be the largest polluter and greenhouse gas emitter in this part of South Jersey. Based on actual data from the plant, in 2014, it emitted 87 tons of carbon dioxide, 534 tons of NOx, and 288 tons of SOx per year. This permit would increase the carbon dioxide footprint to 1,706,305, 5,533.8 tons of NOx, and 8,046. It will allow emissions from fine particulates and even release 129,000 pounds of lead, 35,800 pounds of arsenic, 10,360 pounds of cadmium, and 99,000 pounds of chromium per year.

“The Christie Administration is full of hot air with this air permit. They have refused to look at the climate change impacts as well as the secondary and cumulative impacts of this power plant. DEP has also refused to respond numerous times to the public’s comments on this plant because they are more concerned about keeping this plant open and building the South Jersey Gas pipeline than environment and public comment. The DEP has just given this plant a permit to keep it operating, even though it was supposed to close in 2007 under the ACO. This permit is clearly getting around the emission standards, by applying for a modification not a for building a new plant. This means the secondary operating units will be less efficient and do not have to follow the stricter standards. The problem is that by re-powering B.L. England it does not have to meet the most up-to-date standard like a federal New Source Performance Standard Review,” said Jeff Tittel. “This new power plant will not only threaten our air, but impact our water. You think drinking water in Newark has problems with lead. With this plant you not only get lead, you get arsenic, cadmium, and chromium. This is not just being emitted in the air, but it will go into the water, and may ultimately go into us.”

Despite switching from coal to natural gas, pollution will actually increase by allowing it to operate 24/7, 365 days per year in addition to methane emissions, which is 87 more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. Natural gas has 30 percent less carbon than coal when burned in the power plant, but has more methane released. If you look at leakage of methane from pipelines and drilling, natural gas has about the same emissions as coal, overall.

“DEP has refused to respond to our comment about the fact that this plant will increase pollution when you look at the full life-cycle of the plant. They have failed to look at the full life-cycle as they are supposed to in the Clean Air Act. From cradle to grave, natural gas is just as bad as coal. It will increase methane, which is 87 times more potent greenhouse gas compared to CO2, not to mention methane leaks from the pipeline and the plant. What they don’t want you to know is that this permit will add a new unit that can burn oil and coal 70 percent of the time. This will increase sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide emissions in our air. Since the plant will operate for longer periods, it will actually increase emissions by about 500 percent. If this power plant continues operation, ultra-fine particulate pollution will continue to cause asthma problems, especially in children who live in the area,” said Tittel. “The DEP also ignored their own Carbon Dioxide Rule as well as Global Warming Response Act.”

The South Jersey Gas pipeline would run directly through the Pinelands, which protects 17 trillion gallons of water in its aquifer to Beesly Point to feed the BL England power plant. The pipeline will not only impact the Pinelands, but the ratepayers and the environment near Ocean City. The pipeline would cut a destructive scar through the Pinelands, which is internationally recognized as a U.N. Biosphere Reserve.

“This permit part of the Christie Administration’s attack on clean air by promoting new power plants and pipelines. The South Jersey Gas pipeline would cut an ugly scar through the Pinelands, destroying environmentally sensitive land and open space as well as threatening our water supply. We are currently in Court against this pipeline. What is even worse with this approval is that this plant could be kept open without receiving the gas from South Jersey Gas pipeline. This permit is clearly Governor Christie taking care of his buddies at South Jersey Gas,” said Jeff Tittel. “The DEP has refused to look at the five other power plants coming online, which is another reason why B.L. England is unneeded and unnecessary.”

The Christie Administration has weakened protections in inspections, allows polluters to write their own rules, failed to move forward on reducing air pollution and climate impacts, privatized air permits, blocked offshore wind, and pulled out of RGGI, all which would make our air better. This permit should be denied to protect the region and clean up our air quality.

“The DEP’s decision on this air permit is a threat to our environment and lungs. They not only deny climate change and doesn’t care if there will be significant greenhouse gas emissions from this plant. We are looking to challenge the permit because this plant is killing fish, stealing our water, and adding pollution to Ocean City. Our air is unhealthy and the Christie Administration’s record on air has been unhealthy to our lungs,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.