NJDEP Must Protect Our Health, Safety And Environment From The NESE Project With Compressor Station 206 By June 5

Submitted by the Franklin Township Task Force on Compressor Station 206 & NESE.

Though FERC’s definition of “need” for the NESE Project is only based on economics, under the National Gas Act, and since National Grid has subscribed to purchase all the gas that this Project would deliver, it is not unexpected that FERC issued their Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the NESE Project on May 3.

Even though the FERC claims that the impacts from NESE would be temporary and short-term, there is enough evidence and lack of study to show that it is dangerous, unnecessary and will have a negative impact on New Jersey’s environmental resources.

Several reports, including one by Suzanne Mattei, accessible at the link below, indicate that the claim of real need is false even though National Grid agreed to purchase the added supply of natural gas.

http://350.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Stop_Williams_False_Demand.pdf

Even though FERC issued their Certificate Order, no construction can start unless Williams/Transco receives permits from NY and NJ.

According to the State’s recent suit against DuPont for one of the sites that NESE’s Madison Loop would cross, “As the trustee over the State’s natural resources, the State has a duty to protect and restore all natural resources of the State and protect the health and comfort of its inhabitants.”  Source:  https://www.nj.gov/oag/newsreleases19/Parlin_Filed-Complaint_and_Jury-Demand.pdf

The NJDEP has until June 5 to make a decision about issuing or denying several permit applications.

The NJDEP’s consideration of “need” comes from the Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act Rules (not from the Natural Gas Act).

According to the Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act Rules, “Compelling public need means that based on specific facts, the proposed regulated activity will serve an essential health or safety need of the municipality in which the proposed regulated activity is located, that the public health and safety benefit from the proposed use and that the proposed use is required to serve existing needs of the residents of the State, and that there is no other means available to meet the established public need.”

Additionally, NJDEP must find that the NESE Project is in the “public interest”, and this includes their independent determination about need as well as how the NESE Project would impact preservation of natural resources, impact our health, the practicability of using reasonable alternative locations and methods, and the economic value.

• The NESE Project would negatively impact our health, safety and natural resources.
• It would negatively impact the economics of those along the Raritan Bay.
• NESE is not in the public interest, and it is not needed.

Call Governor Murphy between 9AM and 5PM at 866-586-4069 or 609-292-6000 and tell him that you expect the NJDEP to deny the water permit applications from Transco for the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Project by June 5.

It’s up to the NJDEP to protect our health, safety and environment from the NESE Project with Compressor Station 206.

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