NJ Transit’s Gas-Fired Power Plant Cancellation A Win For Clean Air & Climate

Trenton – NJ Transit announced this morning they are redirecting federal funding for resiliency to protect railyards and transit infrastructure at the Hoboken Terminal as well as the County Yard in New Brunswick and the Raritan River Bridge, all of which are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The announcement draws to a close a years-long effort to construct a NJ Transit resiliency power plant microgrid in Kearny in a flood plain that would have been a full-time gas-fired power plant, which was vociferously opposed by local elected officials and countless community and state organizations. The improvements made through PSE&G Energy Strong program which provided additional grid resiliency lessened the need for the project, according to NJ Transit.

Doug O’Malley, Director of Environment New Jersey, released the following statement:

“The genesis of the TransitGrid resiliency project was in response to the disaster of floodwaters swamping NJ Transit trains from Hurricane Sandy. Over the last decade plus, the climate crisis has worsened – and we can’t move forward with new fossil-fueled powered gas plants. Today’s announcement is a victory for clean air and the climate and this decision should set a template for future decisions by the Murphy Administration. Kudos goes to the community of activists and elected officials who opposed a Transitgrid full-time gas plant in a flood plain in an already overburdened community – and to NJ Transit and the Murphy Administration for pulling the plug on this project. This decision reinforces the need to invest in grid modernization to ensure additional resiliency – the Energy Strong program should serve as a template for additional investments that benefit the entire grid, and not rely on future gas resiliency projects.”