As we head into the 2024 hurricane season, it’s important to remember the impact of Superstorm Sandy and how the region has tried to prepare for future storms.
In October 2012, Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc on the northeastern United States, causing widespread devastation. One of the most significant impacts was on the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) in Newark, New Jersey. The storm surge from Sandy knocked the PVSC water treatment plant completely offline for almost three days. This power loss led to the release of approximately 840 million gallons of untreated sewage into the Passaic River, Newark Bay, and surrounding waterways. The untreated sewage posed severe public health risks, including the spread of harmful bacteria and viruses, and caused significant environmental damage.
The PVSC plant, one of the largest wastewater treatment facilities in the United States, serves over 1.5 million residents and thousands of businesses in 48 northeastern New Jersey communities. The loss of power not only disrupted the plant’s operations but also highlighted the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to extreme weather events. The incident underscored the need for a reliable backup power solution to prevent such disasters in the future.
In response to the catastrophic impact of Superstorm Sandy, the PVSC proposed the construction of a Standby Power Generation Facility (SPGF). This $180 million project aims to provide a reliable backup power source to ensure the continuous operation of the sewage treatment plant during power outages. The SPGF is designed to be fueled by natural gas, which was determined to be the cleanest and most efficient fuel source that meets the reliability requirements6. The facility will also include additional pollution controls, such as upgrading sludge heat treatment boilers and removing outdated equipment, to reduce overall emissions.
The proposed solution has faced criticism from environmentalists and community groups, particularly those in the Ironbound neighborhood of Newark, which is already burdened by pollution. Opponents argue that the natural gas power plant will contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and exacerbate climate change. They have called for the use of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, instead of natural gas. However, PVSC consulting engineers evaluated these options and determined that they could not meet the facility’s power requirements due to the large amount of power needed and the necessity for the SPGF to be available at all times, regardless of weather conditions.
Despite the opposition, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has given limited approval for the construction of the SPGF, with strict conditions to mitigate its environmental impact. The DEP’s approval requires the PVSC to install a minimum of 5 megawatts of solar power and 5 megawatts of battery storage at the sewage treatment plant. Additionally, the PVSC must study how to transition from the natural gas plant to a renewable energy alternative, including the possibility of green hydrogen. These measures aim to reduce the overall pollution emitted by the facility and ensure that the backup power plant is used only in emergencies.
The construction of the SPGF is a critical step towards enhancing the resilience of the PVSC and protecting public health and the environment. While the project has faced challenges and opposition, it represents a necessary investment in infrastructure to prevent future sewage disasters. The lessons learned from Superstorm Sandy have driven the PVSC to take proactive measures to ensure that such an incident does not occur again.
Sources:
Statement on the Construction of the Standby Power Generation Facility: https://nj.gov/pvsc/news/press/2021/pdf/20210610A.pdf
Murphy gives OK to controversial North Jersey power plant: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/environment/2024/07/18/murphy-gives-ok-to-controversial-north…
Standby Power Generation Facility Project – ArcGIS StoryMaps: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/e4c82f0f817f4ad9877b56dc61bbdc5c
New Jersey to allow power plant hotly fought by Newark residents: https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/new-jersey-power-plant-hotly-fought-newark-residents-112066214
Power plant on Passaic River proposal moves forward – Bergen Record: https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/environment/2022/04/27/passaic-valley-sewerage-power-plant-pa…
Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission: https://www.nj.gov/pvsc/
