GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Construction will soon ramp up on a project to convert 60 acres of trash into treasure in Gloucester Township.
A mountain of trash covered in grass, the former Superfund site is a landfill that will soon sport more than 11,000 solar panels on 60 acres, providing 4.5 megawatts, enough to power hundreds of homes.
Through the agreement with the solar provider, Syncarpha, the solar project will also provide almost $1 million over the next 25 years, which will go into the township's general fund.
"What we're doing is taking unusable land and turning it into something that has a positive environmental impact as well as a positive financial impact for the town," said Mayor David Mayer.
The threats from climate change are real, he said, adding he'd been working at this for a couple of years.
"Inaction is not an option. And so in Gloucester Township, we're taking steps to further protect our environment, taking ... what was one of the worst polluted sites in the nation, and transforming it, having a substantial positive environmental impact," he said.
Related
Mayer had some advice for public officials in other towns that might want to do something similar with their underutilized land.
"The first step is to declare that piece of land a redevelopment zone under New Jersey law. It makes it easier to do something like this," he said.
The next step, he suggested, is to coordinate with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
The project is expected to be completed in the spring.