Short Noticed EPA Zoom & In-Person Meetings Thurs. Sept.12 & 19th 2024

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has scheduled two upcoming meetings, on short notice, to discuss sediment staging sites located in the Ironbound Section of Newark, Harrison, East Newark, and Kearny, NJ. These meetings are set to engage the public on the agency’s controversial proposal to build an open-air sludge processing plant in Harrison, NJ.

The first meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 12, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and will take place virtually via Zoom. A week later, on Thursday, September 19, 2024, a hybrid meeting will be held both in-person at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), Central King Building, Room 303 in Newark, NJ, and virtually through Zoom from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The public received notice of these meetings via email on September 10, 2024. These meetings are required to be held by federal law which requires outreach to affected communities for the community to express concerns about the EPA’s proposal to use a site for example in Harrison for an open-air dioxin-laden and Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (NAPL) sludge plant, which has sparked widespread opposition with one surprising exception.

Controversy Surrounding the Proposed Sludge Plant

The proposal has drawn significant criticism due to its location across from a newly developed residential area and adjacent to the heavily trafficked Northeast Corridor rail line, used by Amtrak, NJ Transit, and the PATH train. The August 27, 2024, EPA Community Meeting in Harrison ran overtime due to an outpouring of public opposition. Critics argue that the EPA's plan endangers the health of residents and undermines decades of redevelopment efforts in Harrison.

Over the past 26 years, Harrison has transformed from a contaminated industrial area into a thriving residential community with modern apartment buildings and Red Bull Arena, a soccer stadium that also hosts various other events. Many believe that the proposed plant jeopardizes the town’s redevelopment plan and threatens the progress made in revitalizing the area. The proposed site for the Open Air Dioxin Laden Sludge Plant was de-contaminated by PSE&G at a reported cost of 364 million to 400 million dollars.  It was proposed that the PSE&G property now be used for a Green Space (Park), a Community Center, and a Drop-Off / Turn Around for the PATH Station to alleviate traffic jams along Frank E. Rodgers Blvd. in Harrison NJ.

Harrison and Newark’s Ironbound Section are both designated as Overburdened Communities by the State of New Jersey, meaning they are already disproportionately impacted by environmental hazards. The EPA maintains that the sludge plant will protect public health, but opponents argue that the agency is overlooking alternative sites, such as industrial South Kearny, which would pose less risk to residents. East Newark and part of Kearny are also designated as Overburdened Communities.

Financial Concerns and the Question of Environmental Justice

Some believe that financial considerations are driving the EPA’s decision. Placing the sludge plant in Harrison could avoid costly infrastructure upgrades to nearby bridges, including the Jackson Street Bridge, the Bridge Street Bridge, and the Clay Street Bridge, all of which are in dire need of repair. However, residents and stakeholders argue that cost savings should not take precedence over community health and safety.

One of the most vocal concerns is the question of why the EPA is considering placing such a hazardous facility in Harrison, a residential community, rather than in an industrial area. Residents are demanding answers and insist that New Jersey’s Environmental Justice Law be enforced to protect Overburdened Communities from additional toxic threats.

Allegations of Concealment

At the August 27th EPA meeting, Harrison Mayor James Fife made a surprising statement, voicing his support for the EPA’s plan despite the outcry from residents. His statement came after an earlier acknowledgment that he would consider resident concerns. The mayor’s stance has raised eyebrows, especially in light of allegations that Mayor Fife and Councilman James Doran, who is also a Public Schools Director and Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioner, and other positions, concealed the EPA’s plans from the public for over two years.

An investigative report entitled Concealment, The Truth & Lies About EPA’s Toxic Sludge Plant in Harrison sets forth a detailed account of how both elected officials were aware of the EPA’s intentions to use the decontaminated PSE&G property for the sludge plant but failed to inform the public. In the course of their concealment, Mayor Fife and James Doran lied, defamed individuals, and intentionally misled the residents and stakeholders of Harrison in violation of their Oath of Office and Ethics laws.

The EPA’s decision to place the sludge plant in Harrison, and the local officials’ handling of the matter, continue to be a hot topic as residents demand transparency and accountability.

Meeting Information

September 12, 2024, CAG Virtual Meeting: Zoom Link for September 12 Meeting

September 19, 2024, Hybrid Meeting (In-Person and Zoom):
In-Person Location:
NJIT Central King Building
100 Summit Avenue, Room 303
Newark, NJ 07103

Must Pre-Register for Meeting using the link below:

Zoom Link for September 19 Meeting

With these meetings, residents have a platform to continue voicing their concerns about the future of their community and the environmental and public health impacts of the proposed EPA sludge plant.

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