For Immediate Release
Contact: Jeff Tittel, NJ Sierra Club, 609-558-9100
The NJ Department of Environmental Protection has sent a letter of suspension for New Jersey Natural Gas’s Southern Reliability Link (SRL) pipeline. The action includes a suspension of permits for the SRL, a stop work order, and the department is re-evaluating the projects’ general permits.
“DEP finally stood up to NJNG for suspending its permits on the SRL pipeline. They pulled the permits because of unauthorized and illegal discharge of materials that polluted wetlands and groundwater. NJNG has clearly violated the Flood Hazard, Wetlands, and Buffer rules and are being held accountable by the DEP. The pipeline construction has caused a catastrophe for the people living along the pipeline route, causing damage to homes. After continued public outcry, letters to the Murphy Administration, and protests at ground zero, DEP listened. Any time we can slow down a dangerous project is always a small win for the environment,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “We had raised these issues of blowouts during the permitting process. NJNG say they care about the environment and are doing the right thing but they have caused serious accidents and discharge up and down the pipeline.”
In their letter DEP state the reason for the suspension of NJNG’s general permit under the Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act Rule is: On April 9 through 1 5, June 16, and June 19, 2020, New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) reported to the Department three separate inadvertent return (IR) events that occurred during horizontal directional drilling (HDD) of a natural gas pipeline and resulted in impacts to freshwater wetlands, transition areas and headwater streams. In addition to the environmental impacts to DEP-regulated areas, the June 19 IR event also caused damage to a private residence. The DEP has also requested additional information from NJN$ which it will evaluate to determine if the project will be able to achieve compliance with the conditions of the Flood Hazard Area Permits-by-Rule PBR 36. If the Department determines that the project remains inconsistent with PBR 36, then NJNG will be required to obtain a Flood Hazard Area Individual Permit.
“It’s important that the DEP put a stop work order on NJNG’s drilling permits for the 6 sites of the SRL pipeline. However, they need to pull these permits and suspend the rule for Hazardous Destructive Drilling (HDD). We believe there are now 9 incidences of suspected problems, if not more, in different areas of the pipeline that need to be investigated. That is why the DEP needs to issue a stop work order on the entire pipeline to stop digging and drilling until these issues are addressed. We cannot let NJNG continue to cause any more mayhem, especially since they have 6 more HDD’s to go,”said Tittel.
There have been reports along the SRL pipeline route in Monmouth, Ocean, and Burlington county about problems with the building of the pipeline. These include spills, potential sinkholes, and materials from drilling in streams and ditches.
“We have asked for a stay from Governor Murphy, the DEP, the BPU, and the Pinelands Commission with no avail. Maybe now they will listen. Despite still being involved in ongoing litigation, NJNG is moving forward with construction for the pipeline at their own risk but the risk has been to the people along the route and to the environment. This pipeline has affected their air, water, and now their homes. The pipeline has caused irreparable harm to the environment, and is putting a blow torch just feet away from people's homes,”said Tittel.
Barbara Fox Cooper, a resident of Upper Freehold and founding member of People Over Pipelines, has been fighting this pipeline since the start. Her home is just feet away from the pipeline route. Last week she had to run out of her house because NJNG caused a blowout while drilling for SRL and cracked the foundation of her home. In New Egypt on Fisher and West Colliers Mill, a pipe collapsed causing a sinkhole near the SRL construction area. Roads will be closed for several weeks for repair. This incident is similar to what happened on the Delaware with Tenneco Gas.
“There have already been several serious incidents involving the pipeline construction in Upper Freehold, Burlington County, and in Plumsted Township. In January there was a blowout at the Joint Base, last month in Ocean County, drilling caused a sinkhole in New Egypt and subpar road repair damaged a water drainage pipe. When NJNG is drilling, they put their equipment in areas that are regulated. When they drill under wetlands and streams, they are altering the geology and causing serious damage. People have been hurt, their properties have been damaged, streams have been polluted and people living along the route are frightened that they’re next,” said Tittel.
In their letter, DEP write, “Based on these unanticipated, unauthorized environmental impacts to the DEP-regulated wetlands, transition areas, and streams, damage to the private residence and the need to protect public health, safety, welfare and the environment, the Department is suspending NJNG's permit upon its receipt of this letter in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:7A-20.8(a)(3), (6) and (8) to provide the Department with the opportunity to evaluate NJNG's remaining HDD work locations and the potential for additional impacts to public health, safety, welfare and/or the environment.”
“During this temporary pause on the SRL, New Jersey needs to suspend rules on HDD permits across the state until the DEP has a better understanding of the impacts it has on the environment. We also need to change the way companies drill for pipelines and prohibit HDD. The DEP needs to get rid of NJNG’s general permit that allows them to drill. We need to be vigilant and on top of what is going on during the SRL construction, especially after technicians for Mariner East had falsified test results for their pipeline in Pennsylvania. The state also needs a stricter 401 process that involves an independent review of water quality,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “The SRL pipeline is completely unneeded and unnecessary and will cause a disaster. We told the DEP so and now they finally listened. Now they need to not only pull the permits, DEP needs to hold NJNG accountable and make them clean up their mess and pay for damages. Governor Murphy needs to stop this pipeline otherwise he is just full of hot air.”