In Your Opinion: Urge Representatives To Reject Compressor Permits

By the Franklin Township Task Force on Compressor Station 206 & the Northeast Supply Enhancement Project (NESE).

Making choices to change policy and behavior can be difficult.  Not knowing whether to believe scientists or lobbyists clouds issues.  However, we have a chance to do the right thing in New Jersey to protect our health, safety and welfare as well as that of future generations, wildlife and the environment – Tell the NJDEP to deny the water and dewatering permit applications for the Northeast Supply Enhancement Project, a.k.a. NESE.

Until May 2, 2019, written comments about the water permit applications should be sent to:

Matthew Resnick ​​​​​

Division of Land Use Regulation ​​​​

Mail Code 501-02A ​​​​​

P.O. Box 420​​​​​​

Trenton, New Jersey 08625 – 0420 ​​​

Matthew.Resnick@dep.nj.gov ​​​​

Until April 17, 2019, written comments about the dewatering permit applications should be sent to:

Robert Hudgins

Division of Water Supply & Geoscience

Mail Code 401-04Q

P.O. Box 420

Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0420

Robert.Hudgins@dep.nj.gov

Send email copies of your comments to the Governor and NJDEP’s Commissioner at:

Constituent.relations@nj.gov ​​

Commissioner@dep.nj.gov

Talking points for phone calls and concerns about these applications with sample comment ideas can be found on two websites – www.scrap-NESE.org andwww.stopthewilliamspipeline.org.

Though the potential dangers of fossil fuel extraction, transportation and use have been known since the 1970’s, we have not done enough to stem the tide of climate change impacts.  We have been fed steady streams of misinformation causing confusion while we are living with the cumulative impacts from air and water pollution as well as the risks from explosions and fires from natural gas pipelines and compressor stations.

Just because it is difficult to quantify the risks, burdens and damages from a project like NESE does not mean that those costs are not real or important.

Just because a company says that their safety record shows their merit does not mean that all of their violations and damages are readily available for public review.

Just because the lobbyists and contributions of fossil fuel corporations have stronger influence than the people who will be affected by construction and operation of fossil fuel pipeline and power plant projects does not mean that permitting decisions should be based on political expediency or a guaranteed 14+% return on investment for the company building the interstate pipeline projects.

Now, however, we have the chance to do something that will make a difference – The ball is in Trenton’s court to stop NESE by denying water and dewatering permit applications.

1. Call the Governor at 609-292-6000 or use the toll-free number 1-888-724-8943 to be automatically connected to the Governor’s office.

2. Write to NJDEP to tell them to deny the permits for the NESE Project by their decision deadline.  Send written comments (snail mail or email) ASAP and no later than May 2nd for water permits and April 17th for dewatering permits.

Do not be fooled by the coercive propaganda campaign of natural gas providers in New York who say that they would not be able to accept new customers without the gas from the NESE Project.  The lack of need for the gas from NESE by National Grid is detailed in a report by former New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) Regional Director Suzanne Mattei, found at https://350.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Stop_Williams_False_Demand.pdf.  She culled data from a huge range of sources to show that National Grid’s claim that this source of fracked gas from the NESE Project is necessary to serve a growing demand is just that: a claim.  Mattei shows decisively that the demand for gas to heat homes and businesses in the area supplied by National Grid will decline over the next ten years due to energy efficiency and the availability of alternative technologies.

We elected the officials who appointed people to protect us and the environment.  Tell them that you want them to do their jobs and reject the permit applications for the NESE Project.

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