Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice

English Station Power Plant VICTORY!

The New Haven Environmental Justice Network led the opposition to the restarting of the mothballed power plant, English Station, over three years ago.  On June 26^th, we were handed one of the hardest fought victories when DEP commissioner Art Rocque declared the power plant to be a health risk to Fair Haven residents if it re-opened.  He denied their permit to operate.

 The Fair Haven based power plant would have only operated when electricity was needed most – during summer months when air quality is at its worst, and those that cannot afford air conditioners must open their windows and welcome the sulfur dioxides, nitrogen oxides, particulates and many more air contaminants.  Worse, the power would have been exported to Long Island and Connecticut suburbs, giving them the benefits and leaving the pollution with Fair Haven and New Haven residents. 

It is also a significant victory because, according to DEP staff, all permit conditions were met.  By exercising his authority to protect the citizens of Connecticut by denying the permit, Rocque has essentially said that the conditions under which a power plant can operate are not necessarily protective of public health.  Though others and we have been saying this for years, its recognition by the DEP is a major bureaucratic step in the right direction – toward protecting public health and the environment.  Congratulations to all who worked so hard!

See the Front Page article of the New Haven Register. 

Historical information:

• Description: ES is located on an island at the mouth of the Mill River on Grand Avenue in the Fair Haven neighborhood of New Haven. Originally owned by United Illuminating Company (UI), which also operated the Harbor Station plant (one of the “filthy five”), ES was transferred to Quinnipiac Energy Corporation (QE), a company newly organized by former UI executives. ES had been closed since 1992 because it was obsolete and inefficient. QE plans to reopen the plant using oil, a highly polluting fuel (only coal is dirtier!). They have applied for a permit to operate the plant during peak demand periods, a time when air pollution is at its worst, and eventually plan to operate the plant at full capacity. Operating ES would significantly increase the emission of nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and particulates, all of which have detrimental effects on human health. The additional pollution generated by ES cannot be justified by New Haven’s or even Connecticut’s energy needs. The city’s existing plant already exports power to other parts of the state, and pipeline is currently being built from New Haven to Long Island (a suburb of NY city) to export power there. The extra energy provided by ES would thus primarily benefit people in the suburbs (both in CT and NY), lowering their utility bills at the expense of the health of city residents.
  
  
• Progress: NHEJN organized a strong movement of neighborhood opposition to the proposed re-opening of English Station power plant in Fair Haven. English Station is currently on hold as DEP considers the permit application and the plant owners are suing each other over control of the project.

Attorney General Blumenthal Challenges DEP on English Station