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In Your Opinion: Take Action To Stop NESE And Compressor Station

Submitted by the Franklin Township Task Force On Compressor Station 206 and NESE.

New Jersey protected our clean air and water with a denial of the PennEast pipeline permits and opposition to the Meadowlands (North Bergen) Power Plant – Now it’s time to Stop NESE.

By Friday, October 25 and Tuesday, October 29, the state Department of Environmental Protection needs to make decisions about permit applications for the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Project with its proposed compressor station in Franklin Township and pipeline in Old Bridge/Sayreville that would then go under Raritan Bay to Rockaway, NY.

This is the third time that Williams/Transco has applied to the NJDEP for permits and, though the NJDEP denied NESE’s second set of permit applications in June 2019, Williams/Transco promptly reapplied. 

At this time, the applications do not meet standards in the regulations for (1) Surface Water Quality, (2) Protecting Threatened & Endangered Species and the Bayshore Economy, (3) Avoiding Exceptional Resource Value Wetlands, and (4) Public Interest / Compelling Public Need.  Additionally, (5) NESE hinders meeting clean energy goals of the State.

NESE:

  • threatens our air and water quality from methane and other toxic releases,
  • negatively impacts our health from Compressor Station 206 emissions,
  • poses safety risks (fires or explosions) from increased velocity of transporting natural gas through pipelines that are 50+ year old which will impact the rate of corrosion,
  • increases risks of flooding at the CS206 site from an inadequately designed retention basin, and
  • threatens the marine life and fishing/recreation economy in Raritan Bay from dredging up toxins and construction noise.

It’s time for all who care about our air, water, environment, health and safety to tell the NJDEP to deny the permits for the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Project because the applications do not meet required standards and there would be no benefit to New Jersey from NESE. 

It’s time to make sure that the political and financial grip that the fossil fuel industry has on us is not a determining factor.

QUICK ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE NOW

  1. Sign the online petition that will be sent to the Governor & NJDEP Commissioner at: https://petitions.moveon.org/sign/njdep-deny-permits-for?source=c.em.cp&r_by=273739
  • Call Governor Phil Murphy between 9AM and 5PM, and tell him that you want the NJDEP to deny all permits for the Northeast Supply Enhancement Project (a.k.a. NESE).  Call 866-586-4069 or 609-292-6000.

REMEMBER:  If Williams/Transco does not get all permits from NJDEP and/or NYSDEC, the compressor station proposed near Trap Rock Quarry and the pipeline proposed in Old Bridge/Sayreville and Raritan Bay cannot be built.

In New York, Governor Cuomo and Mayor DeBlasio, 60 elected officials and 11 members of Congress have voiced their opposition to the NESE Project even though the gas is slated for them.

On WYNC’s September 24, 2019 Brian Lehrer Show, NY’s Governor Cuomo said the following about the NESE Project:  “We have taken a position: We’re against the pipeline. That’s our position.  Listen to the interview, and hear more about his comments on the NESE Project and National Grid at https://www.wnyc.org/story/gov-cuomo-vaping-legal-pot/ (starting at 7:00 minutes).

National Grid – the customer for NESE’s gas – denied new and re-connecting service to more than 3,700 existing and new customers in its Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island service areas, beginning in November 2018 and expanded in May 2019, after the NYSDEC denied the applications for NESE even though the gas would not be available until the 2020-2021 winter season if it were to be permitted.  Additionally, National Grid emailed their customers to have them write in support of NESE.  In the October 11, 2019 Order by the New York City Public Service Commission’s Judge Rhodes, National Grid’s denial of service was found to have created undue hardship for customers by failing to provide service and a lack of appropriate notice of the moratorium.  National Grid was ordered to resume service for thousands and provide plans for ensuring that the energy needs of their customers are met.

In New Jersey, nearly 5,000 people signed online petitions to the NJDEP and/or to Governor Murphy that included reasons for the NJDEP to deny the June 12, 2019 permit applications.  More comments were emailed or submitted in writing to the NJDEP during the comment period for this third set of applications.

For more information about how the applications do not meet regulatory standards, see the 10/8/19 Action Alert – Keep the Pressure On to Scrap-NESE and attachments on the website, www.scrap-NESE.org

Even though the comment period ended, Williams/Transco has submitted more documents to NJDEP since then.  Make your concerns known to the NJDEP Project Managers and others in Trenton who need to be aware of your concerns by sending messages by October 22:

TO:                

NJDEP Project Managers:                                                                     Joslin.Tamagno@dep.nj.gov    

Joslin Tamagno and Steve Olivera                                                         Stephen.Olivera@dep.nj.gov

COPIES TO:  

Governor Phil Murphy                                                                          Constituent.relations@nj.gov   

Christopher Jones, Manager – Land Use                                                Christopher.Jones@dep.nj.gov

Catherine R. McCabe, NJDEP Commissioner                                        Commissioner@dep.nj.gov

Diane Dow, Director – Land Use                                                           Diane.Dow@dep.nj.gov

Virginia Kopkash, Assistant Commissioner – Land Use                         Ginger.Kopkash@dep.nj.gov

Ruth Foster, Director – Permit Coordination & Environmental Review    Ruth.Foster@dep.nj.gov As Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful concerned citizens can change the world.  Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.”

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