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.
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.
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.
NJEJA Supports CJA’s Letter to the House and Senate Appropriations Committee
On July 19, the Climate Justice Alliance submitted a letter to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations to voice opposition to a House spending bill which contained more than 80 poison-pill riders, would undercut environmental justice protections, and undermine advancements in equity and inclusion. NJEJA joined our colleagues at the Climate Justice Alliance as well as key allies in signing on and offering our support to CJA for this letter.
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.
NJEJA Signs On To EJNCF Letter on 2024 Permitting Reform
On July 30, the Equitable and Just National Climate Platform submitted a letter to Senators Joe Manchin and John Barasso regarding their 2024 permitting reform bill. The bill, if enacted, would risk EJ priorities under the IRA and risk increasing oil and gas lease sales, as well as drilling and mining projects. Instead, investments should prioritize clean, renewable transmission infrastructure.
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.
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 Submits Comments to the Department of Energy on the Environmental Justice Strategic Plan
On July 12, 2024, the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance submitted comments to U.S. Department of Energy on their draft Environmental Justice Strategic Plan to vocalize the environmental justice perspective and offer a new angle for the DOE to review, develop, and carry-out their strategic plan for community engagement and energy planning.
These comments highlighted our view of environmental justice and laid out grounding principles for this definition, as well as drawing a connection between environmental justice and the necessity of robust community engagement. We close our comments with a case study applying these principles: the MACH-2 project and hydrogen hubs.
As we write in our comments, “we continue to offer support in building a more resilient, renewable energy infrastructure and energy economy, both in New Jersey and across the United States.”
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 Statement on Fourth Power Plant In Newark
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 9, 2024
Press Contact
Melissa Miles, Executive Director | melissa@njeja.org
NJEJA Calls Upon PVSC To Reject Power Plant Proposal: New Jersey Residents Should Have Clean Air Regardless of Zip Code
Newark, New Jersey – The New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance, a statewide organization dedicated to reducing and eliminating environmental injustices in communities of color and low-income communities, opposes Governor Murphy’s decision to approve a fourth power plant in the City of Newark and calls upon the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners to reject the proposal.
The approval of the plan, which will burn natural gas, only extends New Jersey’s reliance on fossil fuels and directly contradicts the state’s clean energy goals. Furthermore, the impact of a fourth plant in the Ironbound community, and Newark as a whole, will have detrimental effects on local air pollution. Any additional power plants, even those that have outlined steps to decrease their emissions, risks increasing greenhouse gas emissions, and co-pollutants emissions which increases local air pollution. The power plant represents not only an environmental injustice, but a threat to public health.
We stand in solidarity with our community members, elected officials, and community-based organizations who have opposed this project. We demand clean air for all New Jersey residents, and call on the Murphy administration and the Commissioners to ensure that clean air is available to all, not just certain zip codes.
“For months, if not years, the residents of Newark have opposed the construction of an additional power plant in their city due to valid health concerns. The state should listen to them and not build this plant.”
Dr. Nicky Sheats, Esq.
Chair of the Board, New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance
Director of the Center for the Urban Environment at the John S. Watson Institute for Urban Policy and Research at Kean University
“We understand that our adversary here is environmental racism and capital, which continue to put profit over people. Better solutions to fossil-burning power plants exist and we need the PVSC Commissioners to prioritize clean energy for the health and well-being of the East Ward community.”
Melissa Miles
Executive Director, New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance
“The decision to move forward with this project, despite vocal opposition from community members, public officials, and community-based organizations, demonstrates that community members have not been treated as equal stakeholders in this process. Communities must be centered in this decision making process and residents have been clear: Newark does not need or want another power plant.”
Brooke Helmick
Director of Policy, New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance
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The New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance is an alliance of New Jersey-based organizations and individuals working together to identify, prevent, and reduce and/or eliminate environmental injustices that exist in communities of color and low-income communities. NJEJA will support community efforts to remediate and rebuild impacted neighborhoods, using the community’s vision of improvement, through education, advocacy, the review and promulgation of public policies, training, and through organizing and technical assistance.
Environmental Justice Concerns with Carbon Capture and Hydrogen Co-Firing in the Power Sector
Read the latest report on Environmental Justice Concerns with Carbon Capture and Hydrogen Co-Firing in the Power Sector, prepared in partnership with the New School Tishman Environment and Design Center, Center for the Urban Environment of the John S. Watson Institute for Urban Policy and Research at Kean University, and the Center for Earth, Energy, and Democracy.
For questions, please reach out to Brooke Helmick, Director of Policy at brooke@njeja.org.
A Quick Guide to Hydrogen Production and Hydrogen Co-Firing
As the country sees a proliferation of hydrogen fuel projects through both private and public investment, NJEJA has developed this fact sheet to explain hydrogen fuel production, the risks to our communities, and how to understand the “colors” for each type of hydrogen.
For questions, please reach out to Brooke Helmick, Director of Policy at brooke@njeja.org.
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