Recently the Perth Amboy City Council unanimously voted to support a resolution to oppose the proposed gas power plant for Woodbridge. It would be the second gas power plant in the area,  doubling the pollution emissions. Many residents, and local organizations spoke at the council meeting in support of opposing the power plant, which is just miles away from Perth Amboy. Local leaders spoke in opposition of the power plant including Donna Stewart President of the Perth Amboy NAACP, Charlie Kratovil from Food and Water Watch, Chair of the Perth Amboy Republican Party Sharon Hubberman, Caroline Torres from the Waterfront Neighborhood Association and former Council President Lisa Nanton and many others.

“I am proud that the City Council passed the resolution in opposition to the construction of CPV Keasbey Power Plant in Woodbridge,” said Perth Amboy Councilman Bienvenido “BJ” Torres. “The proposed power plant’s proximity to Perth Amboy will have a negative impact on the lives of all our residents. Our city is an environmental justice community that has suffered from past practices.  It is time to put the health of our residents first.”  

“This plant would go against environmental justice,” said Reverend Donna Stewart, President of the NAACP Perth Amboy Area Branch. “The NAACP is a civil rights organization, and environmental justice falls under civil rights of our people.” 

Perth Amboy is listed by DEP as an environmental justice community, overburdened with pollution. Council members and residents said they are concerned about the impact the power plant would have on public health given the already overburdened status of the community. Recently, the DEP said they would put into action the new environmental justice law, which says they can take into account the status of environmental justice communities when approving permits for projects like the Woodbridge power plant. Given that the project could increase the environmental impact on Perth Amboy, the DEP has the power to deny the permit.

Perth Amboy joins Hoboken, Edison and Highland Park municipal councils in passing resolutions to oppose the Woodbridge power plant. The Perth Amboy Green Team also voted unanimously to support the resolution to oppose the Woodbridge power plant.