Chatham Boro Wants To Ban Oil Pipelines Near Houses

CHATHAM BOROUGH, NJ — The Chatham Borough Council is looking adopt a resolution banning unregulated oil pipelines near residential or affordable housing areas according to a copy of the resolution made public on Friday.

The resolution, to be voted on at the Aug. 14 Council meeting, would ben any "oil and hazardous substance pipelines that are not public utilities and are not regulated by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities." It was first introduced at the July 24 meeting.

Chatham Borough previously passed a resolution specifically banning the Pilgrim Pipeline, which, if built according to a current proposal, would run through the borough. That resolution was adopted in November 2014.

The new proposal is less specific, and would ban any hazardous materials pipelines that are not regulated or considered public utilities near critical land use. That type of land covered child care, houses of worship, hospitals, parks, and a number of other areas.

You can read the full resolution here:

Image via Steven Reynolds, Flickr