JCPL Hearing Begins But Hundreds Cannot Get Into Middletown High School North

MIDDLETOWN, NJ - Hundreds of people are still waiting in line outside Middletown High School North but inside, the Administrative Law hearing on the Monmouth County Reliability Project has already begun. The auditorium at High School North only holds about 780 people, but school security officers estimate there are around 1,000 people, likely more, waiting outside the school. The line is so long it has wrapped around the high school.

However, Patch is seeing empty seats inside the auditorium.

New Jersey Administrative Law Judge Gail Cookson called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. sharp and she sternly said it would end no later than 11 p.m. Judge Cookson also said she estimated only 60-100 people will get to testify tonight. Those who do not get to testify can write to the Administrative Law office. Written comments or statements can be submitted to the Clerk of the Office of Administrative Law (OAL), 33 Washington Street, Newark, New Jersey 07102.

"I know there's a lot of passion about this issue just witnessed by the number of people here," Judge Cookson said as she opened the meeting. "But there is passion on both sides and I will give every side the opportunity to express that."

Congressman Frank Pallone, who is against the Monmouth County Reliability Project, asked Judge Cookson that the OAL hold more public hearings so everyone gets a chance to testify.