Listen to the podcast.

Jersey's Ray of Sunshine

The Meadowlands area in New Jersey is trying to clean up its reputation.

An environmentally sensitive area long associated with illegal toxic chemical dumps, pollution and cancer, the Meadowlands may soon become home to solar energy facilities that would reduce nitrogen oxide emissions and provide clean power to thousands of New Jersey homes.

The project could also help to renew the economy in the Meadowlands area, by using abandoned warehouse space and luring cutting-edge technology companies to the area. Plans call for a 5-megawatt solar energy system to be built within the next few years and a 20-megawatt system by 2020. State officials, who are establishing a Renewable Energy Task Force to develop a master plan for the region, say even the smaller of these facilities would reduce emissions equivalent to removing nearly 450 SUVs from the road and as much carbon dioxide as it would take 950 trees to absorb.

The facilities would also help to improve air and water quality, decrease dependence on foreign energy sources and stabilize energy costs for the area, because sustainable energy sources are not vulnerable to the world events or shortages that can drive up power costs.

If New Jersey succeeds in getting these facilities up and running as planned, the state will also achieve another goal: cutting back on its toxic reputation.

To read more about this story, click here.

To read more about this and other environmental health issues, go to: www.environmentalhealthnews.org, www.ourstolenfuture.org, or www.healthandenvironment.org