It has been a while since I’ve provided a PennEast pipeline update. The “proposed” PennEast natural gas pipeline (36″ in diameter with a 1480 psi) would cut through our township and numerous others here in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. For those here for the first time or for those who haven’t stopped by in a while, here are a few of my old posts to get you up to speed (chronological order):
I am pissed off – initial reaction upon learning of the direct impact to our property
Fight the good fight – shaking off the shock and gearing up for the fight
Our new reality – humorous yet serious look at how our lives had changed
My elevator speech – feeling comfortable and invigorated in the fight
An open letter to PennEast – letting the emotion rip
NIMBY – confronting the idea of “Not In My Back Yard”
I like to think of this series of posts as the stages of dealing with the impact of a giant gas pipeline infiltrating your community.
And here is the latest:
The route was inexplicably changed after the application was submitted by Penn East and it no longer is proposed to go through our yard. Yes, you read that right. The formal application was submitted back in September looking for federal government, FERC, approval and then they changed the route in a few different locations in December.
Before you congratulate us, please don’t.
While it would be naive to say there wasn’t a sense of relief, it also shifted the personal worry to the top of the already determined desire to beat the hell out of this thing. This company has no care at all when it comes to people’s emotions and well being. To flippantly change the route (without any notice to us by the way) and now directly impact new landowners this far into the process is a damn travesty. We were at least provided with time to get educated and provide commentary to the government and eventually able to legally intervene into the proceedings. These newly affected people will not be afforded those same opportunities. A complete joke.
And you know what, after what we’ve witnessed over the past year and a half I wouldn’t be shocked to see the route moved back to our property. The toying with the emotions of the people for a pipeline that isn’t needed, that will inflict damage in an extremely environmentally sensitive area backed with a revolving door of what the “need” truly is should piss everyone off.
Offers to acquire easement rights have been mailed to impacted landowners and they are beyond offensive. Read this for a summary of what is included in these letters:
PennEast right of way worries property owner
Yes, “If the current pipeline deal falls through, PennEast still owns the easement and can do what they like with it for the foreseeable future.”
Chew on that for a minute.
This may be the most reprehensible thing PennEast has done to date. You know the intention was to hopefully sucker the uninformed into signing their rights away. Luckily this is a group who has remained steadfast in their resolve and are so much more educated on the details of the project than PennEast could have ever anticipated.
Survey crews continue to trespass and obtain survey information illegally. Need I remind you of this:
It continued this week in Pennsylvania and yet it makes no major headlines. Yet another knock against their crumbling integrity.
There is a significant delay with the Transco Pipeline in Montgomery, NJ due to impenetrable bedrock. You can read the story here:
Gas pipeline runs into problems
The warning was there, just like what we are seeing with PennEast, and now the NJDEP needs to get involved. “We’ll drill through it, no problem” but you couldn’t. And the same will happen with Penn East and it will cost you a ton and you’ll take shortcuts and inflict even more damage. The lack of careful planning is so evident when you read the pipeline application in detail and it terrifies all of us.
Additional stories from other pipeline fights that outline the same concerns we have. Read these:
“The industry claims that this is a regional issue, and that gas is needed in New York City and Boston, but the pipes between Albany and these cities are already full of gas. In fact, the Massachusetts attorney general just issued a report confirming that New England does not need the gas. The report concludes that the region can meet its energy requirements in other ways.”
Keep fighting Pinelands pipeline scam
“The Pinelands Commission shot this project down in 2014 because of the threat to the region. The pipeline is set to run through a forest zone of the Pinelands, endangering wetlands, open spaces and water supplies. But in Christie’s view, such tree-hugging obstructionism needs to be overcome at all costs in the service of powerful corporate interests.”
That is all for today. Why do I include a PennEast pipeline update in this blog? I want you all to understand just how this pipeline process works and I hope you consider spreading the word. All of you are potentially impacted and no matter your feelings on natural gas, you cannot condone how this company has operated from the outset.
Thank you for reading.