South Brunswick Urges Officials To Deny Permit For Major Gas Line Project

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ – The South Brunswick Town Council recently adopted a resolution urging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to deny all permits for the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Project.

The NESE is a major gas pipeline project by Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company LLC (Transco) that would transport natural gas from Pennsylvania through New Jersey, traveling underwater in the Raritan Bay and Lower New York Bay to approximately three miles offshore of the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens Borough.

Transco is proposing a 26-inch diameter pipeline, compressor station, and infiltration basin in neighboring Franklin Township, Old Bridge, Sayreville and Raritan Bay.

South Brunswick officials said the proposed NESE pipeline would have severe negative impacts to Raritan Bay such as discharging 690,000 gallons of drilling fluid and chemicals and re-suspending over 1,090,000 tons of toxic sediment. This would destroy over 1,000 acres of benthic habitat that houses marine fish, shellfish, and larvae.

Other state agencies too have expressed their concern over the health risks and environmental impacts of the projects.

“Transco has taken no action in almost three years to address the environmental, health, safety, and other concerns raised by the Township Council of the Township of South Brunswick and many other governing jurisdictions including the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP),” according to the resolution.

On May 15, 2020, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation denied the application, effectively blocking construction on the project. At the same time, the NJDEP released a statement saying the NESE Project does not comply with the Freshwater Wetland Protection Act, and denied the project required certificates.

However, they received a two-year extension from FERC in 2021, which is slated to expire in May. Transco’s has now submitted an application seeking an “Extension of Time” to May 3, 2025 for the proposed project.

According to South Brunswick, “increased gas flow and velocity from the proposed compressor station and new pipes into aging pipes could stress the safety dynamics of New Jersey’s aging pipeline system. Rupture and explosion of pipelines occur regularly with catastrophic damage to people, wildlife and property. Furthermore, interstate pipelines are not built to New Jersey’s higher safety standards for in-state lines.”

The township said that the compressor stations planned in Franklin Township would negatively affect the quality of the air and are a safety risk.

“Compressor stations are subject to regular planned as well as emergency “blowdowns” that release methane and methyl mercaptan into the air, as well as high temperature exhaust which contains carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds such as formaldehyde, benzene and toluene. They are a potent source of ground-level ozone production. Plumes of toxic gas can travel for 10 miles or more. In addition, compressor stations have experienced a number of fires and explosions,” the resolution said.

The township said it opposes any extension of time to the project, and asked the FERC to deny the application.

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