August 23, 2013 (Kearny, NJ) Kearny's Kuehne Chemical plant has made the news once again. The picture accompanying the article on the dangers of the Kuehne Chemical Plant and its potential to kill a million people has a bunch of teenagers, probably college students, naively standing across the river from the Kuehne Chemical plant trying to get the attention of the media in their effort to avoid a disaster.

Members of New Jersey Public Interest Research Group stand across the river from the Kuehne Chemical Plant. Photograph courtesy of NJ.com

One wonders why United States Senate Candidate Cory Booker isn't standing beside them bringing national media attention to Kearny and the retrofitting of the chemical plant so it's less dangerous. Critics of Cory would say that he is only out for himself so he probably isn't concerned about the fact that a chemical release at the Kuehne Chemical plant would have a significant impact on New Jersey including his beloved Newark. Senator Frank Lautenberg was on the forefront of Chemical Company safety. The Chemical Company lobby made sure that they protected plants like Kuehne who have the potential of doing serious harm far wider than the harm brought upon the United States by the terrorist attacks of 9/11.



KOTW applauds the New Jersey Public Interest Research Group (NJPIRG) for their efforts to bring this very important issue to the forefront again. NJPIRG members should look at KOTW's Environment page where past articles on the Kuehne are available for review. Nothing much has changed since then Councilwoman Rosa Alves and former Kearny resident Frank Ferreira took a ride down to the Kuehne Chemical plant after reading an article in the Wall Street Journal on how the Kuehne Chemical posed a danger to the metropolitan area. Rosa Alves and Frank Ferreira videotaped closed gates that had a gap that you could drive a truck through. Local politicians accused them of grandstanding only to years later agree that something had to be done but not going far enough. NJPIRG's young students have taken up the cause and that is a good thing. Maybe they should invite Corey Booker to stand with them. If Cory is too afraid, KOTW is sure that Republican Senate candidate Steve Lonegan won't be afraid to stand up for the safety of New Jersey. Lonegan might even get Governor Chris Christie to stand beside him and call for the retrofit of the Kuehne Chemical plant once and for all. Christie found his way to Harrison for the Harrison Path Station groundbreaking of its multi million dollar upgrade. The Harrison Path station isn't that far from the Kuehne Chemical plant and well within the area that would be affected if the plant was attacked by terrorists or had an accidental discharge.

Join the Kuehne Discussion that was started almost ten years ago on our Discussion Board.