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 meetings (bit.ly/PVSCBOARD) and make your voice heard.
The Latest From ICC – August 21, 2025
Ironbound Community Corporation Joins Legal Fight Against
PVSC’s Fossil Fuel Power Plant
Lawsuit Challenges Violation of Environmental Justice Law and Disregard for Community Health
Newark, NJ — August 21, 2025, Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC) joined with environmental and legal partners outside the headquarters of the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) to announce legal action against the agency. ICC and its allies have taken their fight against PVSC’s proposed fossil gas power plant to the courts. Despite years of community protests, public testimony, and expert-backed alternatives, PVSC has voted to proceed with the construction of a fourth fossil fuel power plant in the Ironbound — one of Newark’s most overburdened and environmentally vulnerable neighborhoods.
“We are calling on Governor Murphy and state officials to honor their commitment to environmental justice,” added Hazel Applewhite, CEO of Ironbound Community Corporation. “We are not asking for special treatment — we are demanding equal protection under the law. The Ironbound community has spoken clearly for years: no more gas plants. No more pollution. We deserve a healthier, safer future.” Read More
Wacth 8/21/2025 Press Conference
How You Can Take Action
Attend PVSC’s virtual public meetings 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
Over the past four years, we’ve taken collective action to emphasize our strong opposition to constructing a fourth fossil fuel power plant in the Ironbound of Newark. For example, in May and July 2025, Earthjustice, on behalf of ICC, filed two suits: one against the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the other against PVSC to stop construction. In July 2025, the City of Newark also sued PVSC. We have also garnered support from dozens of elected officials (including Newark Mayor Ras Baraka) who have publicly opposed PVSC’s proposal, regularly attending PVSC’s monthly meetings, appearing on news coverage from NPR to Fox, and putting up a billboard to raise awareness for commuters and residents about the proposal. The fight is not over: We continue to mobilize community members and allies like you to speak out against PVSC’s proposal to harm the Ironbound by adding another polluting facility in our neighborhood.
Here are some of the reasons why we KNOW a 4th power plant is the last thing Newark needs:
- The Ironbound is a low-wealth, predominantly immigrant, Black and brown community. We are already burdened by 3 existing fossil fuel power plants, NJ’s largest garbage incinerator, and numerous other polluting facilities that harm our public health and quality of life.
- Newark residents have one of the highest rates of asthma in the state of NJ, where 1 out of every 4 children will develop asthma. Other health issues related to ongoing pollution exposure include cardiovascular issues, diabetes, cancer, reproductive issues, and more.
- In April 2023, New Jersey’s significant Environmental Justice Law (EJ Law) was officially enacted, granting the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) the authority to reject permits for new polluting or harmful facilities seeking to establish themselves in overburdened communities. As one of the nation’s strongest ever EJ laws, the NJ EJ Law aims to guarantee that community engagement and a comprehensive environmental impact analysis occur before any such facilities are allowed in these communities. PVSC should be no exception to this rule!
- Over 13 years ago, PVSC experienced flooding during Superstorm Sandy because they lacked a flood wall around their facility. They have since built a flood wall to prevent future flooding.
- PSEG 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 Hurricanes Ida and Henri, over the past decade.
- PVSC promotes itself as “Clean Energy,” but relying on natural gas is both unreliable and not truly “clean.” Their proposal to mix natural gas and hydrogen raises concerns, as hydrogen can potentially leak, posing a safety risk to Ironbound residents. Additionally, hydrogen is a producer of NOX (nitrous oxide) and is highly explosive.
- Instead, PVSC can use actual clean energy alternatives, like battery storage, microgrids, and resilient grid infrastructure, for emergency power reliability.
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 meetings: 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
Related Articles
October 27, 2025 – EarthJustice
Victory! NJ Court Prohibits Construction of Controversial Newark Gas Plant – Project in limbo after PVSC ignored significant community opposition. Read More.
October 13, 2025 – TapInto Newark
Judge halts construction of gas power plant in Newark’s Ironbound while lawsuit proceeds. A win for environmental justice! Read More.
September 3, 2025 – ICC Op-Ed
Another project that dumps on Newark should be called what it is: environmental injustice. On August 21, 2025, the Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC), Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, and other Ironbound residents and partners gathered in front of the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) to make our voices heard. Read More.
July 16, 2025 – NJ.COM
The ICC suit, filed on behalf of the Ironbound group by the environmental law firm, Earth Justice, called the decision, “arbitrary and capricious.”
A PVSC spokesman, Doug Scancarella, declined to comment on the suits.
The Paterson-based Skansa/Railroad consortium, which beat out Frank Lill & Son in public bidding for the contract, was also named as a defendant in the two suits.
May 20, 2025 – TapInto Newark
“For centuries, Black and Brown communities have been disregarded and exploited, often bearing the brunt of pollution and environmental harm,” said ICC CEO Hazel Applewhite. “True stability and justice come from investing in sustainable, equitable solutions rather than relying on outdated and harmful fossil fuel practices.” Read More.
May 14, 2025 – EarthJustice
“We demand clean energy and environmentally just solutions that prioritize the health and well-being of all communities. For centuries, Black and Brown communities have been disregarded and exploited, often bearing the brunt of pollution and environmental harm,” said Hazel Applewhite, CEO of Ironbound Community Corporation. “No longer will this continue without resistance from community leaders and organizations like the ICC. True stability and justice come from investing in sustainable, equitable solutions rather than relying on outdated and harmful fossil fuel practices.” Read More
May 14, 2025 – ICC Op-Ed
Communities of Color, like those found in the Ironbound, are disproportionately targeted for pollution-intensive infrastructure for a myriad of reasons, including discriminatory zoning laws, political disenfranchisement, and lack of economic resources. This is a textbook example of environmental injustice. Read More.
