Newark Activists Will Protest Power Plant Plan At ‘Clean Air March’

NEWARK, NJ — A long-running campaign against a proposed power plant in Newark will continue this weekend when activists hold a “March for Clean Air” rally in the Brick City.

According to organizers, the march will start at noon on Saturday, April 20 at Down Bottom Farms, 371 Ferry Street in Newark. Transportation will be available for pick-up and return to the parking site for those in need. For accommodations or more information, contact CDesir@ironboundcc.org.

The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) wants to build a natural gas power plant at its existing wastewater treatment facility at 600 Wilson Avenue. The proposal is part of a resiliency blueprint that sprang up in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

During the now-infamous storm, the PVSC wastewater facility in Newark was flooded, spilling billions of gallons of raw or partially-treated sewage into the Passaic River. Read More: Superstorm Sandy Caused Flood Of Excrement In New Jersey 10 Years Ago

Since then, the PVSC has rolled out a sweeping series of renovations to avoid future calamities. Part of that plan includes building a plant which would provide backup power to their wastewater treatment plant if the grid goes down.

The PVSC has maintained that the plant will use state-of-the-art emission controls and will have a “negligible impact to the community.” Spokespeople have said the agency continues to explore clean energy alternatives for the facility, and is planning to integrate solar and batteries as part of the project. The agency said it is also working with Siemens – the manufacturer of the turbines that would be used to operate the facility – to transition the fuel used in the turbines from natural gas to a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen and then to 100% hydrogen. Read More: Sewerage Commission Defends Newark Power Plant Proposal, Cites Sandy

But while advocates say they understand the need to build resilience in the face of the climate crisis, they insist that the PVSC should do so with a solution that “prioritizes as much renewable energy as possible and doesn’t involve a new “dirty energy power plant,” especially in a neighborhood that’s been long-plagued with environmental hazards – including three other gas power plants.

• See Related: Opposition To Power Plant Growing In Newark; City Council Takes Vote
• See Related: Proposed Power Plant 'Not Good' For Newark, Essex Commissioner Says
• See Related: Put The Brakes On Power Plant In Newark, 20 NJ Lawmakers Say

Activists said they plan to hammer on this theme again at this weekend’s protest:

“The reasons why there should not be another fossil fuel power plant in Newark are deeply rooted in the community's health, environmental justice and climate concerns. The Ironbound – a predominantly low-wealth, immigrant, Black and Brown community – is already burdened by several existing fossil fuel power plants, New Jersey's largest garbage incinerator, and countless other polluting facilities. This cumulative pollution has detrimental effects on public health, with Newark residents suffering from one of the highest rates of asthma in New Jersey, and other health issues such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and reproductive issues.”

“This proposed plant poses significant threats to the health and well-being of residents who already bear the brunt of pollution, exacerbating existing disparities,” advocates charged. “The siting of polluting facilities in marginalized communities has led to premature deaths among Newark residents and those in overburdened communities throughout the state.”

“We believe that clean air is not a privilege, but a right that every individual deserves,” said Chloe Desir, March for Clean Air lead and EJ organizer with the Ironbound Community Corp., a local advocacy group that has been active in the campaign against the proposed plant.

“This march serves as a unified call to action, welcoming all to stand with us in demanding what should be inherent – the right to breathe clean air,” Desir said.

Earlier this year, advocates fighting against another nearby power plant proposal in Kearny cheered when NJ Transit announced that it is putting the brakes on the controversial plan. The agency specifically cited Newark-based PSE&G’s Energy Strong program for “greatly increasing power reliability” throughout the region.

• See Related: Activists Cheer ‘Death’ Of Kearny Power Plant – Could Newark Be Next?

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