DEP Gives Permits to Mega Powerplant – Sells out Meadowlands

The Department of Environmental Protection has granted the North Bergen Liberty Generating project for the following permits: Waterfront Development, Flood Hazard, Wetlands, and Water Quality Certificate. The permits authorize “the construction of a gas turbine combined cycle electric generation station with related amenities including two (2) stormwater outfall structures, and the installation of an underground cable line(s) from the generating station to and under the Hudson River. Towns like Ridgefield just recently passed a resolution that opposes the destructive power plant. Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club released the following statement:

“DEP is siding with a power company over protecting the Meadowlands. DEP is rushing forward with land use permits and is not looking at the disastrous impacts to the Meadowlands. This area is a gem and a unique ecosystem. Building onto and next to wetlands, streams and on the waterfront of the Hackensack River is an environmental outrage.

“DEP’s first step in approval is a major misstep for the environment. This is a massive industrial facility, so there will be polluted stormwater that will have oil, silt, metals, and solvents that are being used on the site for operations. There will also be 500,000 gallons of oil stored at the powerplant for backup. This means there is a potential for leaks and a chance of an oil spill.

“What DEP did was shameful, they not only gave out permits, but they didn’t even look at the secondary cumulative impacts of this massive power plant. They did not account for the steam coming off of the cooling towers as chemical drift. That steam can contain heavy metals like lead, algaecides, fungicides, and volatile organic compounds that will cool and end up on land, in our water, and killing plant life near the cooling towers.

The Department of Excess Pollution is not looking at the cumulative impacts of a massive powerplant in the middle of the Meadowlands. They did not account for the potential 2.5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide a year coming from the plant. These types of plants are monsters of air pollution in New Jersey emitting heavy metals and chemicals like ammonia and nitrogen oxide. and not the climate impacts or pollution. Natural gas from fracking could generate if not more greenhouses gases than coal. New Jersey needs another powerplant like we need another Superfund Site

“The DEP is not looking at the outflow structure, the cable to NY, the oil tanks and water use. Does this massive powerplant belong in the Meadowlands? NO! Does New Jersey have enough air pollution? Yes!. This is the wrong project in the wrong place. The DEP needs to stand up for the environment to fight climate change and do their job by rejecting this power plant! This is the first real step towards making this unneeded and dangerous power plant into reality. Governor Murphy can’t get to 100% renewable with a massive new powerplant.”