People Over Plastics: Senate Committee Poised to Vote on Major Packaging Reduction Legislation

New Jersey Environmental and Environmental Justice Advocates gathered alongside medical professionals to discuss the urgency and necessity of solutions to the plastic waste crisis. Speakers included experts from Environment New Jersey, Just Zero, Clean Water Action, and New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance as well as NJ Pulmonologist Dr. Walter Wynkoop and Rutgers University Pharmacology and Toxicology Professor Dr. Phoebe Stapleton. 

On the eve of the last NJ Senate Energy and Environment Committee, advocates called on legislators to pass Senate Bill S. 3398, Packing Product Stewardship Act sponsored by Sen. Bob Smith. In particular, advocates called on the legislature to include strong provisions to reduce  toxics in packaging, eliminate any exemptions to the law, ensure chemical recycling was not included as an alternative to true recycling, and to provide for strong accountability and transparency requirements. With nearly 40% of plastic used for packaging, the need for this bill is incredibly apparent. View the press conference and read the full press release below.

Read the full press release

S.3398_PressReleaseDownload

DEP Must Reject the PVSC Proposal for Another Power Plant in Newark

On October 29, NJEJA submitted comments to the NJ Department of Environmental Protection in the public comment period regarding PVSC’s permit proposal for the construction of another power plant in the Ironbound Community of Newark, NJ. For years, community members and advocacy groups have been clear: we cannot afford to have another power plant in Newark. Another plant would risk exacerbating already disproportionate levels of air pollution, contribute to cumulative impacts, and continue to bring negative health outcomes to residents in the surrounding area.

As was said in our letter to the board of commissions, “High rates of asthma, cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and reproductive issues already plague the Ironbound community. Moving forward with this project would be a direct and disrespectful disregard for the health of the people who live, play, and work in this community. It would continue the harms of environmental racism and exacerbate the climate crisis.”

Read our full comments below:

RE_ PVSC_Response to Comment_NJEJADownload

A Slap on the Wrist & a Pat on the Back: NJ Incinerators Rewarded for Bad Behavior

Incinerators have gotten nearly $160 million under New Jersey’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) under the guise that they are “clean” energy. They are anything but. New Jersey’s incinerators emit more pollution than any other facility on the state’s grid today. This pollution is concentrated in EJ communities. Incinerators emit lots of pollution even in years with short total permit violation time.

Incinerators emit thousands of tons of pollution per year, even in years with a relatively short duration of permit exceedances

So reducing payments to incinerator by the percentage of permit violation time, as the current version of the Clean Energy Act of 2024 would do, is not the answer. This will barely put a dent in millions of unwarranted “clean” energy money they get. Instead, incinerators should be totally disqualified for any substantive permit violation.

Slap on the Wrist ReportDownload

New Jersey’s Dirty Secret

Do you know where your trash goes? Read this new report from NJEJA, Earthjustice, and the Ironbound community corporation to learn more about the injustice of incinerators and trash energy in New Jersey’s frontline communities.

New Jersey is no stranger to the negative impacts of incinerators, many of which are located in the state’s over­ burdened, environmental justice communities. Residents of these communities are more susceptible to asthma and COVID-19 due to the cumu­lative impacts from incinerators and other pollution sources. New Jersey’s four currently operating incinerators (Covanta Essex, Covanta Camden, Covanta Union, and Wheelabrator Gloucester) and one recently closed incinerator (Covanta Warren) collectively:

  • Emitted over 10,000 tons of air pol­lution and nearly 7 million tons of greenhouse gases from 2015 to 2018;
  • Placed among the state’s top 5 emit­ters of a dozen distinct air pollutants;
  • Violated their air permits over 1,700 times since 2004; and
  • Collected nearly $30 million in “clean” energy subsidies from utilities and ratepayers since 2004, despite these emissions and violations.

Read this new report from NJEJA, Earthjustice, and the Ironbound community corporation to learn more about the injustice of incinerators and trash energy in New Jersey’s frontline communities.

NJ’s Dirty Secret ReportDownload

NJEJA Joins Partners in Tackling Plastic Pollution

On October 8, NJEJA joined partners in a webinar focusing on plastic pollution in New Jersey. Topics included upcoming bills including “Skip the Stuff”, a Bottle Bill, and an “Extended Producer Responsibility” bill. Watch the webinar below and take action by sending a letter to your state legislator in support of these important pieces of legislation. 

NJEJA Joins Environmental Justice Advocates in Saying “NO” to Harmful Permitting Reform Bill

This month, the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance joined over 175 organizations in opposing U.S. Senate Bill 4753, Senators Manchin and Barrasso’s Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024 (EPRA).

Read the full letter below to hear what EJ advocates have to say about the dangers of this legislation’s impact on

Opposing Manchin:Barrasso’s Permitting ReformDownload

NJEJA Letter to PVSC Opposing Proposed Fourth Power Plant

On September 19, NJEJA submitted a letter to the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission’s Commissioners expressing our deep opposition to the proposal of a fourth power plant in the Ironbound Community of Newark, New Jersey. We stand in solidarity with the residents of the Ironbound in opposing this plant as it will contribute to local air pollution, exacerbate risks to negative health outcomes, and continue a reliance on fossil fuels when a rapid transition to renewables is deeply needed. 

NJEJA Opposes PVSC Fourth Power PlantDownload

A Quick Guide to Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)

As carbon capture and storage (CCS) continues to be pushed as a solution to climate change by both private and public investment, NJEJA has developed this fact sheet to explain CCS, the risks to our communities, and why carbon capture is simply going to prolong our reliance on fossil fuels.

NJEJA CCS Fact SheetDownload

For questions, please reach out to Brooke Helmick, Director of Policy at brooke@njeja.org.

NJEJA Joins MFN Partners Supporting South Coast Rail Yard ISR

On July 30, NJEJA joined our partners at the Moving Forward Network in supporting the work of Southern California partners working to pass the South Coast Air Quality Management District Governing Board’s Rail Yard Indirect Source Review Rule.

On August 2, the Governing Board passed the rule, a win for environmental justice communities in the surrounding areas.

Adopting the rule – which is designed to work in tandem with the CARB rules – will ensure a reduction in emissions associated with rail yards. Freight rail yards are now required to achieve 82% reductions by 2037.

For questions regarding NJEJA’s position and related policy concern, please contact Brooke Helmick, Director of Policy at brooke@njeja.org.

Read the full letter below.

Signatory-Railyard ISR SupportDownload

NJEJA Submits Comments on the 45Y/48E Tax Credits

On August 2, 2024, the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance, along with co-signed allies, submitted comments to U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service regarding the proposed regulations for the 45Y/48E Clean Energy Tax Credits.

This federal funding will be an integral component in the Just Transition and funding clean energy in the United States. However, as these credits are designed to be technology-neutral (i.e. no one particular type of energy production is to be favored), there is a risk that these credits may be granted to facilities which do not truly produce clean energy and pose a risk to the surrounding communities.

We submit these comments to: (1) urge the Dept. of the Treasury and the IRS to center environmental justice, (2) incorporate GHG co-pollutants into the emissions calculations, (3) expand the emissions calculations, (4) include a geographical analysis in the alternative fates analysis, (5) exclude polluting combustion and gasification facilities from the list of qualified facilities as they cannot demonstrate a zero emissions mode of production, and (6) address EJ concerns with carbon captures. All of these changes can bring significant protections to environmental justice communities and greatly reduce the risk of harm.

For questions regarding NJEJA’s position and related policy concern, please contact Brooke Helmick, Director of Policy at brooke@njeja.org.

Read our full comments below:

NJEJA-Re-REG-119283-23_Section45Y-48EDownload