The Franklin Reporter & Advocate Eight Villages, One Community
The last of the state permits needed for the construction of a $1 billion, multi-state natural gas pipeline project – part of which will come through Franklin – was approved January 12, and was immediately blasted by state environmentalists and Township officials.
The state Department of Environmental Protection approved on January 12 an air quality permit application made by Houston-based Williams-Transco for a 32,000-horsepower, natural gas-powered twin-turbine compressor station targeted for a 52-acre tract in Little Rocky Hill, near Route 518.
The compressor station is a key component of Williams-Transco’s Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline, which will run from Pennsylvania, through New Jersey and into New York.
Williams officials have said that the compressor station is needed to move the natural gas along on its journey.
The New Jersey approval “marks another significant milestone” in Williams’ effort to “advance the Northeast Supply Enhancement Project through federal and state regulatory processes,” Williams spokeswoman Cherice Corley said in an emailed statement. “The project now awaits its final federal clearance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and a Notice to Proceed” from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
“NESE is essential to addressing persistent natural gas supply constraints in the Northeast, constraints that have contributed to higher energy costs for consumers and increased reliance on higher-emission fuels, such as heating oil,” Corley said in her email. “By moving NESE forward, Williams will enhance energy reliability, lower emissions, and help reduce environmental impacts while supporting economic growth across the region.”
The state DEP approved the air quality permit because it complied with state regulations, DEP spokesman Larry Hajna said in an email.
“The air preconstruction permit for operation of Transco Compressor Station 6 was issued on Jan. 12 based upon the Department of Environmental Protection’s conclusion that the application satisfied all applicable requirements of the New Jersey Air Pollution Control regulations codified at N.J.A.C. 7:27 et seq,” he wrote. “The permit ensures that two natural-gas turbines at the proposed compressor station comply with all applicable state air quality regulations.”
Mayor Phil Kramer said after the January 13 Council meeting said he did not understand why the permit was approved, given that it was denied in the past.
“Nothing has changed,” he said. “Why should it pass at this time? I would like to know what did change behind the scenes that we don’t know about.”
“Our hands are tied, but we will try to loosen the knots as best we can and do whatever we can,” he said. “I don’t want to give away any strategies we’re thinking of, but we will do everything we can.”
Several township residents, such as Linda Powell, a member of the Steering Committee of the Franklin Township Task Force on NESE, showed up at the January 13 Township Council meeting to decry the DEP’s decision.
“We are deeply disappointed and dismayed that the NJ DEP has now fast-tracked approval of the Williams-Transco permits and is allowing construction to proceed,” she said.
“The NJ DEP’s actions suggest little concern for the environment or the damage or public health risk this project will impose on New Jersey communities,” she said. “We had hoped the agencies would defend the health and well-being of our residents, rather than yield to the pressure from the federal government and the fossil-fuel industry.”
“The public is being misled into believing this project will lower energy costs, which is simply untrue,” she said. “The gas is not intended for New Jersey; we only get the pollution.”
Following an executive session at the Council’s January 13 meeting, which included discussion about the Williams project, Township attorney Lou Rainone said the Township’s options are limited.
“We continue to explore whatever our legal options are,” Rainone said. “And I don’t know, but I’m sure that there’s a possibility that somebody will file an appeal from the DEP permits, and that continues on-going.”
“I suspect that this is a battle that’s now going to shift to the federal court,” he said.
“In some respects, we will end up being a party there,” he said. “We’ll continue to assess all of our rights. And as to whether or not there are other ordinances that we can adopt, we’re always looking at whether we can or not, Mr. Mayor.”
“But as you know, when we talk about the conflict of state law, there is a primacy to the federal law in these circumstances,” Rainone said. “So I don’t know that if there was a magic bullet, like if we could rezone it for residential and it couldn’t be a gas compressor station, we would have done that already.”
“But right now, Mayor, this is something that we’ve been dealing with for a long time,” he said. “I don’t know, as I said, that there’s some magic bullet in local ordinance that’s going to make a difference here. But as always, you know, we’re never going to stop thinking about it, we’re not going to stop researching it.”
Water quality permits needed for the New Jersey portion of the project were approved in November 2025. Williams-Transco has also won approvals in other affected states.
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