Wanaque Adopts Resolution Opposing Pilgrim Pipeline

For Immediate Release

February 10, 2015

Contact Jeff Tittel, (609) 558-9100

Wanaque Adopts Resolution Opposing Pilgrim Pipeline

Last night, the town council for Wanaque, New Jersey adopted a resolution opposing the Pilgrim pipeline. The project would run 178 miles of two brand new pipelines across New Jersey to carry crude oil and refined petroleum products. Bakken shale oil would be sent south with refined products (including kerosene) sent north which would cut through important water supply watershed and near water supply aquifers. The line cuts across 30 municipalities in 5 counties, including cutting through Wanaque.

"We are continuing to gather momentum to oppose the Pipeline, the more towns who hear about it the more that oppose it. We want to thank Wanaque for being the 25th out of 30 towns who oppose Pilgrim Pipeline and one of 28 towns who have already signed resolutions," said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.

Wanaque became the 25th out of 28 towns along the pipeline route to pass resolution against the pipeline. Altogether 30 towns have passed a resolution including two neighboring towns. Only 3 remain before 100% of New Jersey along the proposed route oppose the project.

The pipeline in Wanaque would cut through public land and water supply intakes, and pass within view of the Wanaque reservoir. The pipeline is planned to run through the Ramapo River Watershed in New York and New Jersey. The pipeline would pass through or near the Buried Valley aquifer, tributaries to the Hudson River, the Hudson River, and the Catskill and Delaware aqueducts which provide drinking water to New York City. Of particular concern are potential impacts to the Ramapo River Watershed, which provides drinking water to Mahwah, Ramsey, Oakland, Franklin Lakes, Allendale, Pompton Lakes, Wayne and 8 more towns in New York.

"The recent spills around the country show the dangers these pipelines pose to communities.If a spill were to happen here, like it did last month in the Yellowstone River, the water supplies for New Jersey and New York would be in jeopardy. A spill in the Ramapo would directly affect 600,000 people and impact the drinking water for 3 million. The town of Wanaque and other towns around the state by passing resolutions understand the risk of this pipeline to their community and drinking water," said Jeff Tittel.

The mayor and council had reached out to Pilgrim and spoken with their representatives, asking for a public meeting at Lakeland HS for residents of both Ringwood and Wanaque. Pilgrim refused but offered to meet with the mayor and council privately. To their credit, the mayor and council refused this meeting, saying that Pilgrim had made the issue a public one and they believed that holding a private meeting would be inappropriate.