Kearny, NJ -- NJ Transit has announced it is cancelling its proposed controversial gas plant called TRANSITGRID. Clean Water Action’s David Pringle, a member of Empower NJ’s steering committee released the following statement in response to the announcement:
"The death of this dirty gas plant is a victory for taxpayers, transit riders, the climate, and so much more. NJ Transit just admitted climate and Environmental Justice activists were right all along ... that its proposed frack plant was too dirty, too expensive and too inferior to other alternatives. NJ Transit must immediately and aggressively pivot from unforced errors to work with all parties to address the many tough critical challenges it faces. And NJ Governor Murphy needs to apply the same reasoning applied here to Newark's Ironbound and similarly reject the proposed Passaic Valley dirty gas plant in the heart of an overburdened community.
It's notable NJ Transit is now parroting our position for years:
- 'the project was not financially feasible’
- 'multiple improvements to the affected power grid have been enacted [by PSE&G et al.] that have functionally made the [gas plant] as envisioned at that time much less necessary than other critical resiliency projects’
- ‘vital resiliency infrastructure improvements at Hoboken Terminal, County Yard in New Brunswick, and the Raritan River Bridge’ should take precedence'
It's a shame NJ Transit couldn't today acknowledge the word 'pollution' or viable renewable (solar) alternatives but there's always tomorrow. Other major challenges NJ Transit faces include its looming $1 billion fiscal deficit cliff, improving not cutting service, ensuring fair fares, electrifying its fleets, expediting capital projects, improving its governing processes (customer advocate, a strong independent board), and better handling of its controversial expensive office move. Governor Murphy and the NJ Legislature must also play key role here and we will work to make sure they do.
Finally, here's to the fantastic, powerful, inspiring coalition of local activists, elected officials, environmental justice groups, Empower NJ (with a special shout out to Don't Gas the Meadowlands Coalition and Food and Water Watch and others) that made this happen. We've done it before, we'll do it again, and we look forward to the day that government better serves the people and works with us to create stronger, healthier communities for all."
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Since our founding during the campaign to pass the landmark Clean Water Act in 1972, Clean Water Action has worked to win strong health and environmental protections by bringing issue expertise, solution-oriented thinking, and people power to the table. www.cleanwater.org
Empower NJ is a coalition of over 120 citizen, faith, environmental and progressive groups in New Jersey stopping new dirty fossil fuel projects and securing a 100% clean energy economy to stop climate change, secure environmental justice and create better jobs. Its steering committee includes BlueWaveNJ, Clean Water Action, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Don't Gas the Meadowlands Coalition, Environment New Jersey and Food and Water Watch. www.empowernewjersey.com/
