Join 350 Philly, Neighbors Against the Gas Plants, The Center for Returning Citizens, and allies from across the region as we appeal the air permit for SEPTA's proposed Nicetown gas plant! Please help us pack the hearing room!

What: Community leaders, health and climate experts, and our attorney will present arguments and evidence at a hearing conducted by the L&I Review Board. We will call for the permit that City awarded for the gas plant to be canceled. And we’ll press for a full examination of health and environmental impacts that have been ignored or underestimated, as well as complete assessment of alternatives. We want to make sure the room is full of people who oppose the plant.

Why: The Nicetown gas plant would add toxic air pollution to a neighborhood that is already overburdened. The 19140 ZIP code was recently found to have a 31% childhood asthma rate. And the plant would release climate-damaging greenhouse pollution for 20 years, setting back the transition to renewable energy that we urgently need. We are pushing for the City of Philadelphia to protect people’s health and protect a livable climate by rescinding the permit for the plant.

When:Tuesday April 17th, 1:15 to 2:45pm

Where: 1515 Arch Street, 18th floor building (Please bring a photo ID so that you can sign in, and come a little early so that you can go through security.)

We will share more logistical information closer to the date of the hearing. To learn more about the campaign to stop the gas plant, visit 350philadelphia.org/septa.

Questions? Contact us at 350philadelphia@gmail.com.

Background

For more than 2 years, community residents and organizations dedicated to public health and sustainability have been working to stop SEPTA from building a gas-fired power plant in the Nicetown community, while calling on SEPTA to transition quickly to renewable energy. Despite widespread opposition, Philadelphia's Air Management Service office (AMS) gave SEPTA a permit last fall that allows the plant to go forward.

Two community leaders--Jondhi Harrell, the director of The Center for Returning Citizens, and Lynn Robinson, Director of Neighbors Against the Gas Plants--have filed official appeals. The appeals argue that pollution from the gas plant would cause additional harm to residents of a community that is already overburdened. (Read more about the appeal that Jondhi submitted with support from 350 Philly.)

AMS has failed to fully examine the potential health impact of pollution from the plant, and the permit contains errors and misstatements. In light of these errors--and the transformative June 2017 PA Supreme Court decision that upholds Pennsylvanians' “right to clean air”--we believe that the permit should be rescinded.

We also believe that the state government and local governments have a constitutional obligation to take action to stop catastrophic climate change. It is essential for regulators like AMS to fully examine the climate impact of proposed fossil fuel power plants.

Now the Licenses and Inspections Review Board has scheduled a hearing so that we can present testimony in support of our appeal, and so that SEPTA and Air Management Services can defend the permit. We hope you can be there to support those of us who are testifying!