The last census in 2010 reveals there are approximately 41,000 residents living in Kearny. With an expansion in luxury apartments in town, it’s safe to say that number has increased — perhaps even significantly. We’ll know for sure in 2020.
However, a petition to Gov. Phil Murphy, asking him to shut down the Keegan Landfill, which has been circulating on paper — and online — has signatures from only about 10% of the total population in Kearny. And, when one figures that non-Kearny residents have signed the petition, it’s likely that fewer than 10%of Kearny’s population have signed it.
You can sign it right now if you haven’t yet. Go to this link and it should take no more than 60 seconds of your time: bit.ly/keeganpetition.
While it might not seem like a big deal to sign, it really is.
Hundreds of residents have attended meetings of the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority, the government agency in charge of the landfill.
Despite this — and despite many speaking directly to the NJSEA — the authority has refused, even with accurate data that indicates a potential health risk, to close it down.
They continue to put on a dog-and-pony show, saying they’ll take steps necessary to curb the emission of hydrogen sulfide. They do this despite knowing that kids who use nearby Harvey Field have gotten sick, sometimes vomiting profusely, after games or practices.
They do this knowing Harvey Field will have to be evacuated when test results reach approximately 15 parts per billion. Keep in mind there has been a reading as high as 248 ppb! Imagine having kids playing on a field adjacent to a dump with such an obscene reading?
H2S is a very dangerous gas. At high levels of exposure, it could lead to eye, nose and/or throat irritation, respiratory issues and a lot more. Prolonged exposure could lead to irreversible ailments — up to and including cardiac arrest.
And this authority refuses to close the landfill. And the governor, who recently appeared on News 12 NJ, says his people have told him closing the landfill isn’t the best “scientific” way to go.
Are you kidding us, Gov. Murphy?
Perhaps the 4,000 signatures — from 4,000 potential voters — isn’t enough to scare this guy. After all, he isn’t up for re-election for another two years. Maybe he needs a wakeup call that the people he’s ignoring are human beings who live and breathe — and who if he keeps this charade up, mightn’t even be around for the next election.
So folks, let’s send a message to Murphy. Let’s get that 4,000 total much higher. It needs to be much higher. You can do your part. You must do your part.
Right now, use your phone, tablet or computer and go to bit.ly/keeganpetition, sign the petition, and let the governor know — we’re not going to tolerate this — and you had better bet that in two years, come November, if he doesn’t close the landfull, we will all remember back to 2019 when he took as all for fools.
Learn more about the writer ...
Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.