NJ Transit this morning cancelled its controversial expensive, dirty gas plant

Activists proven right prioritizing less polluting, more resilient and affordable projects

Kearny, NJ — Clean Water Action NJ released the following statement in response to NJ Transit’s 9 am announcement today (see below) that it’s cancelling its proposed controversial gas plant called “TRANSITGRID”.

“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 EJ Activists were right all along … that its proposed frack plant was too dirty, too expensive and too inferior to other alternatives. Now 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 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,” stated Clean Water Action’s David Pringle, a member of Empower NJ’s steering committee*.

“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”, and “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 and 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*), et al. 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 all the time not just after they work against us.”

* 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.