Save the Bay -- Opposition to the Williams/NESE Pipeline Grows!

Left to Right: Bill Schultz (Raritan Riverkeeper), Nicholas Simon (Staff Assistant for Congressman Pallone), Meredith DeMarco (NY/NJ Baykeeper Chief Operating Officer), Peter Blair (Clean Ocean Action Policy Attorney), Kin Gee (CHARGE President), Paul Smith (Borough of Union Beach Mayor), Cindy Zipf (Clean Ocean Action Executive Director), Fred Tagliarini (Township of Aberdeen Mayor), Anthony Cavallo (Borough of Union Beach Councilman), Jay Cosgrove (Owner of Bahrs Landing and Marina and Highlands Business Partnership President), a local clammer, Paul Ritter (Baymen’s Protective Association President), and a group of local Bayshore fishermen and clammers

Bayshore Rises Up! SAVE THE BAY! An all-star cast of elected officials, clammers, fishermen, local business leaders and environmentalists spoke out against a proposed offshore gas pipeline at a press conference rally on March 26.  The message was loud and clear “Don’t stir up the muck and poison the bay.”  Everyone also called upon the NJDEP to provide more opportunity to be heard.  The Bayshore community was largely unaware of the project.  Congressman Pallone also sent a letter to NJDEP urging for a hearing on the Bayshore project and for the public comment period be extended. 

Status of permit: The NJ Department of Environmental Protection held a public hearing in East Brunswick (not near the Bayshore) on March 18, on the Williams/NESE Pipeline.  Of the 350 people attending 86% of testimony opposed the project and called on the DEP to deny the permits. Public comments must be submitted to the DEP by April 17. Water permits are also pending by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC); that comment period closed on March 15. 

Calls for more Public Review: Recently, Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders passed a resolution that calls on the DEP to extend the public comment period and conduct a public hearing on the Bayshore to allow more communities to comment on the project. Several Bayshore towns have also passed similar resolutions and/or opposition to the project.

No Need for NESE: 350.org recently published the study, “False Demand: A Case Against the Williams Pipeline” which documents the lack of need for the harmful bay polluting project.  The study shows that natural gas demand is projected to remain the same or decrease in New York, and that any slight increase could be met with more cost effective environmentally friendly alternatives such as energy efficiency.  Moreover, as required by law, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has yet to issue the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Project, which documents the overarching need.  They are usually rubber-stamped, however, the application was submitted over two years ago.

To learn more about the Williams/NESE Pipeline project and submit comments, visit CleanOceanAction.org.

To express opposition to the project, sign the petition: https://www.change.org/p/kathleen-frangione-urge-gov-murphy-to-deny-williams-nese-pipeline-project?recruiter=937299779&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition&use_react=false