For Immediate Release
Contact: Jeff Tittel 609-558-9100
Despite still being involved in ongoing litigation, New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) is moving forward with the construction of their proposed Southern Reliability Link (SRL) pipeline. NJNG has obtained certain road opening permits to install sections of the gas line in Ocean County. The New Jersey Sierra Club is currently suing the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and the Pinelands Commission on their approval of the SRL pipeline. We are opposing the BPU and Pinelands Commission’s decision to allow the 28-mile gas pipeline to destroy environmentally sensitive land in the New Jersey and threaten communities along the route in Burlington, Ocean, and Monmouth Counties.
“This is a dastardly act designed to usurp legal process and undermine the public. They’re trying to start building this pipeline despite us still being in court fighting them. This is a shameful way to try and get around the court decision. NJNG should not be moving forward with construction of this project that is unneeded and unwanted in New Jersey. It’s irresponsible and unconscionable that they are going forward with construction without the case being settled. The Murphy Administration must intervene in this action that completely disregards the legality and wishes of New Jersey communities,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “NJNG is trying to get around the court and double cross the public by going forward with this pipeline. They started to continue the project even if the court rules against them. This disgracefully circumvents the rule of law. We’re looking into ways to get a stay to these actions.”
This pipeline is part of a bigger picture, which is the rush to bring fracked gas from Pennsylvania to the New Jersey coast for development. The SRL is directly interconnected to the Garden State Expansion compressor station and PennEast Pipeline. The SRL would connect to the Garden State Expansion (GSE) compressor station in Chesterfield which would get gas from the PennEast Pipeline. These projects would be working together to bring fracked gas into New Jersey.
“Not only is the approval for SRL still in court, but the connected infrastructure such as PennEast Pipeline has yet to be approved either. The relationship between the three projects is symbiotic; without one project the other two can’t happen. NJNG should be prohibited from beginning any construction on their pipeline until the entire project is approved,” said Jeff Tittel.
The proposed Southern Reliability Link (SRL) pipeline would connect to a compressor station in Chesterfield and run 28 miles of pipe through Burlington, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties. The line would threaten the ecosystems, communities, and drinking water in the Pinelands. This pipeline clearly violates the Pinelands rules because this type of infrastructure is only allowed through the Pinelands Forest Preservation Area, if it primarily serves the Pinelands, but it does not.
“When the Pinelands Act was passed forty years ago, one of the major reasons was to prevent pipelines coming through to connect offshore oil to refineries in southern New Jersey. Instead, the current Pinelands Commission has approved the NJNG SRL pipeline during the Christie Administration because they’d rather side with the pipeline companies than the people they work for. The Commission represents the people of New Jersey and should be making decisions that reflect those people,” said Jeff Tittel. “NJNG is completely ignoring the rules and the role of the legal system and going ahead with their unnecessary pipeline.”
The Pinelands is the largest open space on the eastern seaboard and recognized for its biodiversity by the United Nations. It is also the country’s first National Reserve and holds 17 trillion gallons of water in its aquifer. Governor Christie had stacked the Commission with pro-fossil fuel advocates who approved these projects against the will of the people in the Pines and across New Jersey. Public opposition has been instrumental in delaying these processes thus far.
“NJNG isn’t just proceeding at their own risk; they’re risking the environment and public safety. During his campaign, Murphy promised to appoint Commissioners who believed in protecting the Pinelands. We want Murphy to step up and stop NJNG from beginning to build this pipeline while its approvals are still being challenged in court,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “We must continue to protect the Pinelands because these pipelines they want to push through will create irreversible harm to wetlands, streams, as well as damage important open spaces, and threaten one of the largest sources of fresh drinking water on the east coast.”
Notice to Homeowners:
