For years PSE&G pursued a proposal to construct a new nuclear power plant on Artificial Island right next to two existing nuclear plants:
Salem Nuclear Generating Station & Hope Creek.
There are many dangers to constructing this new power plant. It would be constructed on wetlands, in the floodplain, in a reach of river that will be subject to increasing flood risks with the onslaught of sea level rise and climate change.
In order to advance the project PSEG to secure land via a landswap from the US Army Corps of Engineers. The landswap would give PSEG the property they sought for Salem 4 and would give the Army Corps a new area in Logan Township and Oldmans Township, NJ to construct a confined disposal facility for the dumping of dredge spoils.
The Delaware Riverkeeper Network was the only organization stand in strong opposition to this proposal – boosted by our historic and detailed knowledge of the site and the ramifications of the proposal for the people, environments and towns concerned. Our opposition helped ensure this landswap was exposed to the light of day and never progressed.
In 2020, New Jersey put forth a proposal to build a Windport project on the very same site. If that project were to advance the landswap would not advance apparently displacing the opportunity for Salem 4. The Delaware Riverkeeper Network is proud that our opposition to landswap helped to prevent it from advancing and bringing us to a point where the project may be unable to advance due to a lack of the needed proposed site.