Newark Does Not Need a 4th Fossil Fuel Power Plant
We need your support to stop PVSC from adding yet another fossil fuel power plant to Newark. Join us at PVSC’s upcoming public meeting on Thurs March 13th 12pm virtually (bit.ly/PVSCBOARD) and make your voice heard.
How You Can Take Action
Attend PVSC’s virtual public meeting on March 13, 2025, at 12 pm at bit.ly/PVSCBOARD.
- Submit a public comment opposing the proposed plant at bit.ly/NOMOREPVSC.
- Share this message with your networks to spread awareness.
Background
For over three years, our communities have been fighting against PVSC’s proposal to build a fourth fossil fuel power plant in the Ironbound—an already overburdened, predominantly Black and brown, immigrant community suffering from extreme environmental injustice. Despite overwhelming public opposition, PVSC continues to push this harmful project forward.
We’ve mobilized massive resistance, with elected officials—including Newark Mayor Ras Baraka—publicly opposing the plant. We’ve attended PVSC’s monthly meetings, appeared in major media outlets, put up billboards, and organized community actions. The fight is far from over, and your participation is critical.
Why We Must Stop This Toxic Project
- Newark is already overburdened. The Ironbound is home to three existing fossil fuel power plants, New Jersey’s largest garbage incinerator, and numerous polluting facilities that poison our air, water, and bodies.
- NJ has already become more energy resilient. PSE&G has invested $2.1 billion in infrastructure hardening, ensuring that NJ’s power plants are storm-ready. This investment prevented power outages during subsequent storms like Hurricane Ida and Henri over the past 12 years.
- Public health is at risk. Newark has some of the highest asthma rates in New Jersey—1 in 4 children here will develop asthma. Pollution exposure also contributes to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and reproductive issues.
- The NJ Environmental Justice Law (EJ Law) was created to prevent this. Passed in April 2023, this landmark law empowers the DEP to reject permits for polluting facilities in overburdened communities. The Ironbound clearly qualifies, and PVSC should not be an exception.
- PVSC’s own emissions data is alarming. If approved, the permit would allow emissions increases for a plantwide total of:
- 16 tons of hazardous air pollutants per year
- 107 tons of carbon monoxide per year
- 80 tons of volatile organic compounds and 67 tons of oxides of nitrogen per year, both contributing to the ozone levels for which Newark already does not meet federal standards
- 18 tons of particulate matter per year
- 26 tons of sulfur dioxide per year
- The addition of the gas plant adds to PVSC’s emissions of all these pollutants—directly worsening Newark’s already dangerous air quality.
- PVSC’s reasoning is flawed. They claim they and we need this plant for emergency backup power, but:
- During Hurricane Sandy, PVSC lost power for only two days, not two weeks.
- PVSC typically uses only 23 MW of power and can operate on as little as 11.5 MW, meaning their claim that they need 34 MW is exaggerated.
- Safer, cleaner, more reliable alternatives exist—solar power and battery storage can meet PVSC’s emergency needs at a fraction of the cost.
- PVSC wants to run the gas plant 240 times longer than the technology requires. PVSC bought gas turbines that can start up in only 12 minutes. But they asked DEP for – and got – permission to run the turbines for a full 48 hours before any storm event.
- PVSC plans to operate in a way that results in comparatively higher emissions. Turning the gas plant on and off at least once a month – as PVSC wants – means that a comparatively larger percentage of PVSC’s operations will be during startup and shutdown when pollution control equipment does not work as well, and more pollution escapes into the community.
The Alternatives Are Clear, Cleaner—And Cheaper
PVSC’s proposed gas plant will cost $118 million—but a combination of solar and battery would cost only $36 million (70% less!). Instead of investing in dirty energy, PVSC should adopt proven, sustainable solutions that protect both residents and ratepayers.
Hydrogen Is Not the Answer
PVSC’s permit includes a potential future transition to hydrogen, but this is not a clean or safe alternative:
- Burning hydrogen could increase NOx emissions by six times, worsening ozone pollution.
- Hydrogen is highly explosive and leaks more easily than natural gas.
- Hydrogen pipelines and delivery systems would be just as vulnerable to storm damage as natural gas infrastructure.
- A plant conversion to hydrogen would add even more costs to an already wasteful project.
Take Action—PVSC Must Be Stopped
PVSC’s proposal is an expensive, dangerous, and unnecessary project that would only worsen environmental injustice in Newark. We are urging the DEP, EPA and PVSC board of commissioners to say NO to a 4th fossil fuel power plant in Newark and push PVSC to adopt safe, renewable alternatives. Contact the PVSC board at bit.ly/NOMOREPVSC and join the virtual monthly meetings to speak your comment directly to the board at bit.ly/PVSCBOARD
Join us! Attend PVSC’s virtual public meeting on March 13: log on and unmute for clean air in Newark!
Contact the PVSC Board of Commissioners and demand they reject this project:
- Thomas Tucci
- Luis Quintana
- Lawrence Crump
- Hector Lora
- Gregory Tramantozzi
- John Cosgrove
- Liz Calabrese
- Joseph F. Isola
- Brendan Murphy
