Statement of East Ward Councilman Michael J Silva on a controversial plan to build a power plant in Newark
Newark, July 18th, 2024 – “When is enough, enough? Today’s announcement of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) issuing permits for a Power plant at The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) is yet another slap in the face to hard working residents of the Ironbound Section of Newark. Nothing surprises me from the PVSC which in the two years I have been in office have done ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to help our community! For people who don’t live here to have the unmitigated gall to say this will have a negligible impact is beyond insulting.
Furthermore, the NJDEP is blatantly ignoring the cumulative impacts this Environmental Justice community ALREADY endures!
As a lifelong resident of the Ironbound and a cancer survivor I am appalled at the complete disdain the PVSC and the NJDEP has shown to the concerns of this community!
I call on Governor Murphy to IMMEDIATELY put an end to this project and protect what his very own recently enacted ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE LAW characterizes as an overburdened community! Anything less would be the height of hypocrisy!
