JERSEY CITY, NJ —
September 16, 2026 |
By DailyHudson Staff
A community forum in Jersey City aims to stop a proposed waste transfer station, citing health risks and environmental justice concerns.
On a recent evening at the DiFeo Auto Group on Route 440, dozens of Jersey City residents gathered with a common goal: to keep a proposed waste transfer station out of their neighborhood. The facility, proposed for 25 Van Keuren Ave. in the city’s West Side, has drawn sharp opposition from local activists, officials, and neighbors who worry about pollution, truck traffic, and health impacts.
The forum, hosted by the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance (NJEJA), was part educational session, part organizing meeting. Speakers laid out the regulatory landscape and urged residents to stay engaged. “It has not been proven to be necessary,” said Shirin MacCormack, founder and president of the McGinley Square Community Board and a member of the West Side Community Association, which has been vocal against the facility. She also noted that the planned Hudson-Essex Greenway is supposed to pass through a neighboring area, raising questions about compatibility.
Brooke Helmick, advocacy director for NJEJA, focused on health. She pointed to heart issues and asthma that are worsened by pollution from facilities like the proposed one. “We shouldn’t accept that as normal,” she said. Her message was clear: the community deserves better.
The Background: A Test Case for Environmental Justice
The Van Keuren facility would be the first permit application for a new waste facility under New Jersey’s Environmental Justice Law, enacted under former Gov. Phil Murphy. The law requires strict scrutiny for projects in overburdened communities (OBC), which are areas already burdened by pollution. Most of Hudson County, as Helmick showed on a map, qualifies as an OBC. Under the law, the state Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) must deny a permit if a facility would have a disproportionate impact on the community, unless it serves a compelling public interest.
Attorney Maggie Broughton, of the Eastern Environmental Justice Law Center, explained that the law includes an exception, but it hasn’t been applied yet. “They have to deny a permit where a facility will have a disproportionate impact on the community unless that facility serves a compelling public interest,” she said. She added that the project must meet an essential health or environmental need of the community. Broughton estimated that the Van Keuren proposal would fail 19 of 26 stressor tests, which assess factors like existing pollution and health vulnerabilities. She noted there are already two or three transfer stations within a one-mile radius. “This is really a test case,” she said.
What It Means for Hudson County
For residents of Jersey City’s West Side and beyond, the stakes are personal. More garbage trucks would mean more diesel exhaust, more noise, and more wear on local streets. For families already dealing with asthma and other respiratory issues, the added pollution could make daily life harder. The facility would operate just miles from homes, schools, and parks. “The last thing we need is more garbage trucks coming in,” said Hudson County Commissioner Bill O’Dea (D-2), who spoke at the forum.
O’Dea recalled helping to block a similar facility in Kearny in the 1980s. “When people come together and stand together, we can win,” he said. “But everyone needs to stay very vigilant with this one.” He also criticized the NJDEP for holding an April 2026 hearing far from the affected area, a complaint echoed by others. Ward B Councilman Joel Brooks added, “Under state law, this waste transfer station should not happen. We gotta stay organized, stay together, keep pushing.”
What People Are Saying
Helmick stressed that the timing of the next hearing is unknown, but that’s actually an advantage. “Part of this is a stamina game,” she said. She also pointed to an online form that has already received 500 comments against the facility. Broughton warned that even with the law, the fight may end up in court. “They think this law isn’t going to change anything … This is really a test case,” she said. She also expressed frustration with the NJDEP’s transparency. “In other work I have dealt with DEP officials, and they are just not transparent,” she claimed. Helmick added, “If we don’t get that no, yeah, we’ll see them in court.”
The forum concluded with Debra Italiano of Sustainable JC announcing plans for a similar meeting in Greenville soon to build further support. The message from organizers: this is a community-wide effort, and every voice matters.
What Comes Next
After the next NJDEP hearing, there will be a 30-day window for written public comments. Van Keuren will then have 45 days to respond, and the NJDEP has 45 days to make a public decision. Residents should watch for announcements about the hearing date and the comment period. To get involved, you can submit comments through the online form mentioned at the forum, attend future meetings, and stay informed through local organizations like NJEJA and the West Side Community Association.
The road ahead may be long, but as Commissioner O’Dea reminded the room, organized communities can make a difference. For now, the fight continues—one meeting, one comment, one neighbor at a time.
Source: Hudson County View
