a plan to build a new gas power plant and Woodbridge is facing growing pushback earlier this week environmental groups rallied against the facility arguing it will bring heavy pollution to a community that already has multiple power plants as well as undercutting the state's goal of transitioning to clean energy to fight climate change and it's not just environmentalists so far a dozen nearby towns plus the Somerset County Commissioners have passed resolutions opposing the project the Woodbridge proposal is the type of project that is covered by the state's Landmark environmental justice law but that law is still not fully in effect more than two years after it was signed as the Murphy Administration continues the rule-making process Maria Lopez Nunez deputy director of the Ironbound Community Corporation and long-time environmental justice Advocate joins me to discuss the impact of the delay Maria so what does this all mean and why is this so critical that the deadline is met we pass the environmental justice law in 2020 right that was uh three years ago now right about to be three years ago and so it's important I think what folks don't understand is we pass a law right we sign we signed the law there's a beautiful photo opportunity for politicians for Community leaders it's a very exciting moment but what happens afterwards is you know the devil's in the details and details really matter because they'll spell out how the law gets implemented um what are the specifics you know in the rulemaking process oftentimes we might make loopholes that actually mitigate what the law is intended to protect um and so it is really important that those rules get done right that those rules um are legally defensible the law has passed and now we just need it seems that you are just waiting on these drafted rules that need to be in 4 course Maria what is the hold up what's the hold up I I don't know what to hold up is you know because our communities are suffering right now we are waiting for the permit for covanta the largest garbage incinerator in the state 50 of this million tons of trash are coming from New York City and we're paying for that in Newark right like covanta Burns trash and then the people of Newark breathing in they're using our bodies as landfills and they haven't had a permit renewal in over eight years so we're waiting on the EG rules to see if they were going to come back and make sure that covanta's conditioned coventus holding Hostage to the people in Camden right now with trying to say that they'll protect them a little bit better if they agree to um a liquid waste pipe like all of this it feels like insanity I think I think people are not aware of that so every month that goes by it gives Industries like covanta like the Passaic Valley sewage commission that's trying to build that power plant it gives them the ability to sneak in and then that means that they get another five years where they don't have to do anything with they don't have to improve anything so I don't understand why the governor my understanding is the rules are with his office and DEP is waiting for his go-ahead and in the meantime facilities are just taking advantage of communities like Newark like Camden like Railway it seemed like a huge step forward to protecting these vulnerable communities from future development that causes pollution as to what you just spoke about but I guess what I want to clarify is especially to viewers who may not really understand what's going on but if these rules aren't drafted how useful is this law if the rules aren't drafted and finalized the law doesn't exist essentially right it's on paper so we need the rules to be finalized for the law to become animated for the lobby to become real and for it to start impacting the permits that are in process right now so still a lot of confusion a lot of questions that need to be answered Maria thank you for this very important conversation and I guess we'll have to wait and see you know what happens yeah well I'm really waiting to see what happens and I'm hoping that our governor and this Administration and the Department of Environmental Protection actually protect us this time and not just make us do a show for them you know to say that they care about environmental justice I want them to show us with actions I don't want their words anymore thank you so much for joining us Maria thank you [Music]