NEWARK, NJ — In the first major decision under an environmental justice law designed to prevent additional sources of pollution in already overburdened communities, New Jersey will allow construction of an emergency power plant at one of the nation’s largest wastewater treatment plants.
The plant discharged about 840 million gallons of raw sewage into waterways when Superstorm Sandy knocked out power in 2012.
Shawn LaTourette, the state’s environmental commissioner, anticipated the ire of environmental and community activists opposed to the project and said his department will require the new facility to use solar panels and battery storage to ensure a net reduction in pollution.
The decision attempts to thread the needle between two of New Jersey’s top priorities: protecting the environment and preventing certain communities from becoming overburdened with pollution, especially those where the majority of the population is people of color. That second goal is part of an environmental justice movement that is focusing on such projects across the country.
An important consideration is to ensure that no new sewage is discharged, LaTourette said.
“If there’s a power outage, we want the sewage treatment plant to keep running,” he said. “If there’s a power outage, we don’t stop flushing our toilets.”
The decision concerns a plan by the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission for a $180 million emergency power project that would kick in during severe storms, power outages or cyber attacks.
Officials at the existing plant, the sixth largest of 16,000 in the country, say the backup power source is an important safeguard against raw sewage flowing into waterways or even streets during a power outage.
But residents of Newark’s heavily industrialized Ironbound area say they already tolerate more than their fair share of pollution; this would be the fifth power plant to operate in their community.
They have called on Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration to put the plan under environmental law In 2020, he signed a contract with the Ironbound community with much fanfare.
Matthew Smith, Director of Food & Environmental group Water Watch said the decision “betrays the governor’s commitment to clean air for all New Jersey residents.”
“Today’s decision proves that First Lady Tammy Murphy’s outspoken opposition to the project earlier this year was a thinly veiled ploy to mislead voters into thinking this administration cares about their health and future,” he said. “Governor Murphy must immediately reverse course and reject this project or watch his green credentials evaporate.” Tammy Murphy opposed the planned facility when she briefly ran for a U.S. Senate seat earlier this year.
LaTourette said the emergency center should only remain in operation during emergencies when power is lost to the site, plus once a month for testing and maintenance.
The commission will have to install 5 megawatts of solar panels, 5 megawatts of battery storage and additional pollution control equipment on sludge treatment boilers. Older equipment, including boilers and generators, will also have to be removed and modernized.
According to LaTourette, these conditions should result in a net decrease in pollution from the sewage treatment plant.
“I don’t expect anyone to praise this outcome,” he said, adding that his department “has to achieve an outcome that best protects public health and the environment, and that’s what this does.”
LaTourette said he realizes residents will be skeptical or even hostile to the decision, given the many sources of pollution found in the Ironbound section of Newark, named for the railroad tracks that surround it on three sides.
The emergency power plant was originally supposed to run on natural gas alone, which residents said would worsen the area’s already poor air quality. On a recent visit to the site, a heavy stench of sewage hung in the air near the giant outdoor water treatment tanks. Residents say the smell often travels for miles.
The commission modified the plan to combine solar energy with the burning of natural gas. The plan calls for replacing the natural gas component entirely if and when technological advances make this feasible.
A spokesperson for the commission said it was reconsidering the decision, but noted that the project still needs to receive formal planning permission before work can begin.
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