Over the summer, the Sewage-Free Streets and Rivers (SFSR) campaign graduated its fourth cohort of Community Leadership Action Program (CLAP) members. Held over five sessions from June to August, the participating individuals were community members from the combined sewer overflow (CSO) communities of Jersey City and North Bergen, who wanted to increase their understanding of the environmental impacts of CSOs, enhance their leadership and advocacy skills, and explore how the issue of CSOs can intersect with the work they do for their communities.
Themes that Guided Our Conversations
The program explored several themes that helped participants understand the CSO issue, how it interconnects with other environmental justice issues, and reflect on their personal advocacy journey.
- Why is my city flooding? – Participants learn the basics of the CSO issue, including the historical context, environmental impacts, and progress made to addressing it so far.
- The Story of Self: Communicating your story effectively – Explores their core values, experiences, and motivations for getting involved in this type of work. It highlights the importance of community voice and the role it has on influencing CSO solutions.
- The Importance of Community Organizing – We cannot do this work alone. The focus for this session in on the importance of partnerships and cross-collaboration between local community groups and statewide collaboratives/organizations.
- Understanding Water Policy – The basics of water policy and what it takes to effect change at different levels, from state to local, to national.
- Leadership in Action – Discussions on how participants can continue their personal advocacy in solving CSO solutions.
Key Takeaways from the Program
“I found this program expanded my knowledge about CSOs and also provided ‘story’ techniques for advocacy in this and other areas. I found the in-person sessions most effective, especially Session 5, in which there was great interaction between speakers and students.” – Maureen Crowley, Jersey City
“I’ve learned about CSOs and underground sewage issues. This program has opened my eyes to overlooked issues. I will continue to educate people on this matter, lead by example, and pass on this information to my camp children.” – Steven Felton, Jersey City
“I learned how to grasp an issue as complex and complicated as CSOs and make it understandable for others. I also learned how to build coalitions with others while competing with intersecting issues.” – Adrian Ghainda, Jersey City
“I learned how CSOs and sewer plants work. I also learned that there are so many people behind them. I also now understand the importance of the community outreach programs we promote at our school. I plan to continue spreading awareness on CSOs and the importance of access to clean waterways.” – Maki Vilomar, Jersey City
Guest Speaker Testimonials
“There is no power worth having that isn’t built at the granular level. Power building from the bottom is what creates real movements. Nothing is done without community power because everything is done for the community. It’s like building a house with no foundation. Knowledgeable and informed residents mean different perspectives looking at the same problem. When a wealth of community experiences comes together to problem solve, you begin to get solutions and outputs greater than anyone could think. Residents have the perspective to come up with their own solutions, and being informed makes those solutions possible.” – Anthony Diaz, Newark Water Coalition
“When communities understand their collective strength, they can begin to shape the systems and policies that most directly impact their lives. Granular power is where real change begins, from the ground up. It’s in the neighborhood meetings, the front stoop conversations, the community gardens, the local nonprofit groups. These spaces build power, deepen relationships, and create a sense of stewardship that leads to action and empowerment. When people are equipped with knowledge, they are powerful; and they become active participants in the shaping of their own futures. Informed communities are not only more resilient, but they are better positioned to demand and design solutions that are truly responsive and meaningful, solutions that reflect their lived realities, their cultural wisdom, and their hope for the future of their communities. Real transformation takes root slowly, intentionally, and collectively, one person at a time.” – Michele Langa, NY/NJ Baykeeper & Hackensack Riverkeeper, SFSR advisory board member
“In order to develop power at the granular level, you must first create informed residents on the ground so that they, along with others, can help achieve solutions that are more responsible to the community. But it’s more than just giving people information. At this time, all of us are inundated with information from myriad sources. Some of it might be correct, some of it might not. Some of it might be applicable, some of it might not. So rather than just possessing information, residents need to develop knowledge and the means to transmit that knowledge to others in their communities. That’s why a program like CLAP is so valuable: a forum to bring stakeholders together for face-to-face conversations and the transfer of knowledge. When environmental projects are being considered in a community, that knowledge allows community members to play a more meaningful role in the decision-making process by being able to bring attention to local conditions that those responsible for such projects might not otherwise be aware of. Similarly, knowledgeable local residents provide for more productive conversations surrounding various options for the implementation of such projects. Ultimately, this leads to better outcomes.” – Michael Witt, Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission
Lessons Learned Over The Four Cohorts
Four cohorts have been held since 2022.
First cohort: Statewide across 21 CSO communities, 2022
Second cohort: Jersey City, 2023
Third cohort: North Hudson Sewerage Authority service area, 2024
Fourth cohort: Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission, service area, 2025
With its first cohort taking place in 2022, the CLAP program aimed to build capacity within CSO towns by providing grassroots community members and leaders an opportunity to deepen their knowledge of local flooding and CSO issues, clarify solutions that would make a difference, and build a network of peers advocating for an equitable, sustainable, and climate-resilient future. The program has adapted over the course of four cohorts. Lessons learned include:
- Flexibility in program curriculum. As the program progresses, it is important to tailor the curriculum in response to participants’ feedback. In some cases, we have updated the order of the lessons to suit their needs and invited specific individuals or groups, like the local water utility, to speak at sessions.
- Be intentional with cohort focus areas. The first cohort took place virtually, which enabled the program to include participants from all across the 21 CSO communities in New Jersey. While a statewide approach allowed for a broader overview of the issue and fostered connections between different communities, the following cohorts took a more localized approach. The second cohort took place in one city and the following cohorts were focused within specific regional areas based on the wastewater treatment plant service area. Focusing on a specific region has allowed for increased ownership among community members and stronger trust to be built between participants. It has also enabled participants to develop solutions tailored to their community’s needs and personal advocacy work.
- Knowledge building by filling in gaps and making connections. CLAP participants enter the program with varying levels of understanding of flooding issues and CSOs. For some people, the first session is their introduction to CSOs. To make it worthwhile for the participants, it is essential to connect the issue of CSOs to the broader issue of water inequities and how it relates to other environmental justice issues that their communities face.
How We Move Forward
With some CSO communities already in the implementation phases of the five-year CSO permits, there are only 2.5 regional areas that need finalized permits. Ensuring the transparency of implementation schedules and projects, as well as accountability for permittees meeting their requirements, will take precedence for SFSR and its partners, including the CLAP alumni. Accountability around finalized permits will require monitoring by impacted community members and grassroots organizations. Even after permits are finalized, the anticipated change in administrations at the state level will require direct advocacy with municipalities. Partnerships with community organizations will be necessary to ensure the public is engaged and actively participating on the NJDEP-required CSO Supplemental Teams.
