New York’s and New Jersey’s permitting agencies are scrutinizing a project that would bring a 26-mile gas pipeline through the state and into Raritan Bay. (Russ DeSantis photo for NJ.com )
By Michele Langa – Star Ledger guest columnist
As New Jersey prudently shifts energy policy to focus on renewable sources like wind and solar, and away from less healthy fossil fuels, proposals still come forward to build “pipelines to the past” that serve no good purpose and take vital dollars away from infrastructure investments in today’s emerging energy sources.
One example is the proposed Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Project being pushed by Williams-Transco, an Oklahoma-based gas pipeline company. The project would ultimately cross Raritan Bay on the way to providing New York City with twice as much natural gas as it could possibly use.
In an unsurprising development, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on Jan. 25 issued a final Environmental Impact Statement for the NESE project that repeats the unfounded conclusions of an earlier draft. FERC is known for rubber-stamping gas pipeline applications, so there was no reason to expect the agency would do anything other than take Williams-Transco’s word that proposed mitigation activities would avoid the possibility of significant adverse environmental impacts.
The reality is that these 26 miles of pipeline and a new compressor station in New Jersey threaten water, wildlife and the safety and health of communities – concerns raised by elected officials, federal and state agencies, scientists and residents in comments to the federal agency. All this, for a pipeline that a new report by an independent New York energy expert states, “is completely unnecessary and would unwisely lock the State of New York into a pipeline gas market expansion plan that is not in the State’s best interest.”
Meanwhile, New York’s and New Jersey’s permitting agencies are scrutinizing the project. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, in his State of the State address, committed to a Green New Deal for New York – 100 percent carbon-free energy by 2040. Gov. Phil Murphy has committed New Jersey to 100 percent clean energy by 2050.
How the states’ permitting agencies decide on the NESE project will affect the ability to reach these clean energy goals. A decision by New York and New Jersey agencies to reject the NESE permit applications by holding Williams fully accountable to New York and New Jersey’s strict environmental standards is an important step toward fulfilling both states’ commitments to a carbon-free future.
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