Date : Wed, 5 Oct 2016 15:39:25 -0400
Victory! PSEG Closes Hudson and Mercer Coal Plants
Today PSEG announced that they are closing their remaining coal plants in New Jersey: Hudson and Generating Stations. Neither Hudson nor Mercer station has cleared the PJM capacity auction for the prior two years. The plants will retire on June 1, 2017. By 2020 Brideport Plant in Connecticut will also be closed. The Sierra Club supports closing both these coal plants as a way to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gasses. Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club, released the following statement:
“This is victory for the environment and the people of New Jersey and the region. The closing of these two plants is a turning point in our battle against dirty coal and for clean air in the entire region. With Mercer and Hudson closing, there will not be any coal plants from Trenton all the way to Maine and Jersey City to Buffalo. We want to thank Ralph Izzo for his leadership on the environment and working to close these plants. He is committed to fighting climate change with clean energy. We look forward to working with him and PSEG on energy efficiency, renewable energy and other ways to get us to a carbon-free future. Given PSEG’s size and other facilities, we also would like to work with them to a just transition for the employees of these plants.
“The Hudson and Mercer coal plants are some of the largest generators of air pollution and greenhouse gasses in the entire state. These facilities have not bid into the PJM auction in the last two years and are only running part-time. We believe that these plants have not only hurt the environment, but have hurt ratepayers, and that’s why it’s so important that they are closing. Closing these plants will help the people in the region, especially New Jersey, be healthier. The toxic mercury and air pollution from coal plants had led to hospitalization and other health effects. Carbon pollution leads to smog and triggers asthma. Closing these plants is an important way to reduce air pollution and improve the health of thousands of New Jersians.
“By closing both plants, we are also protecting the waterways and fish of New Jersey. The Mercer Generating Station in Hamilton is not only the largest source of air pollution in the region, it is also been one of the largest sources of water pollution. The plant has killed up to 70 million fish and fish larvae per year including more than 30 species of fish. Every day, this plant has robbed the River of millions of gallons and dumps polluted water back into the River. By closing this plant, we are protecting these fish and the entire Delaware River.
“Coal is expensive and dirty and that’s why it’s good that we’re getting rid of these plants. EPA years ago forced PSEG to clean up their facilities. Despite these two plants considered state-of-the-art, coal plants still pollute too much and are expensive to operate. This is why we need to transition to renewable energy and keep closing coal plants. We should work to replace these plants with renewable energy instead of more dirty fossil fuel such as natural gas. Instead, the Administration needs to move away from fossil fuels and move towards clean energy. Clean air is an essential part of a healthy economy. Reducing air pollution will not only reduce health costs and sick days for the residents of New Jersey, but investing in renewable will create jobs and protect our environment.
“These coal plants are not financially viable and closing them will help consumers save money. They were forced to put in better air pollution equipment, which makes them more expensive to operate. They also have to deal with issues like coal ash and other costs. They are hardly operating now and they have to bring in low-sulfur coal from Indonesia. That means that closing these plants will help protect rainforests there. The plants can’t even make the auction and this is why they need to close.
“The Sierra Club is happy with this announcement because we have been fighting the Hudson and Mercer coal plants for over twenty years. Our air is unhealthy and we need to stop this fossil foolishness. The plants cost ratepayers too much money, as well as poison their lungs. These plants are in environmental justice communities and closing them will give the people justice. We need to work towards replacing these plants with renewable sources of energy that will help our economy, environment, and public health. Closing the Mercer and Hudson coal plants will make our air cleaner and reduce greenhouse gasses.”
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Jamie Zaccaria Administrative Assistant New Jersey Sierra Club office: (609) 656-7612 https://www.facebook.com/NJSierraClub * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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Received on 2016-10-05 12:39:25