SJ Gas Pipeline Nightmare Continues – Pinelands Commission Fail to Rescind Approvals

The Pinelands Commission was prepared to put a stay on the application of the South Jersey Gas Pipeline application, however they voted down a resolution Addressing the Remand of the South Jersey Gas Company Application Due to a Significant Change in Material Fact. The final vote was 4-5.

“The nightmare continues at the Pinelands. By voting down even this weak resolution, it blocks the commission from taking final action on the SJ Gas pipeline. This means the application for the SJ Gas Pipeline still stands. This is one of the most shameful episodes that the Pinelands Commission has ever done. The BPU approval is based on the Pineland’s approval so as long as the Pinelands Commission doesn’t rescind their approval, the BPU approval still stands. Our concern is that the SJ Gas proposal could come back,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “What the Pinelands Commission did today was the worst thing that has ever been done in the Pinelands, it goes against the CMP and the AG’s letter vacating the approval of the SJ Gas. It shows the Chris Christie Pinelands Commission is pro gas pipelines.”

South Jersey Gas plans were to build a pipeline that would go through the southern part of the Pinelands to connect into the B.L. England plant. Now that B.L. England will not be re-opened, the company continues to pursue the pipeline claiming it will improve system resiliency. In May, the Attorney General asked the Appellate Court to remand the South Jersey Gas pipeline case, Docket No. A-3310-16, back to the Pinelands Commission. The SJ Gas pipeline in the Pinelands was originally intended to repower the B.L. England plant. Owners of B.L. England have now closed the plant permanently, eliminating any need for the pipeline.

“We have been trying to get the Commission to rescind their approval since March, and now they sided with SJ Gas over the Pinelands. The decision made today means SJ Gas would still be able to reapply or find another buyer for B.L England. The Commission vote also goes against Attorney General Grewal’s letter to remand SJ Gas pipeline case to undo the approvals. The Pineland Commission’s approval for the SJ Gas pipeline should be revoked with prejudice because it is in violation of the CMP. Instead the most shameful episode of the Pinelands Commission is continuing. Instead of protecting the Pinelands, the commission is giving another chance for this unnecessary and unneeded fossil fuel project to be built,” said Tittel. “The Attorney General has already said that the SJ Gas pipeline does not meet the criteria for the Pinelands approval and has asked the Appellate Court to remand the South Jersey Gas pipeline case back to the Pinelands Commission for further action. The NJ Sierra Club also won our motion to remand the Pinelands Commission to reconsider its approval on SJ Gas. Enough is enough.”

Last spring, Governor Murphy announced that he will appoint Jessica Sanchez and Jennifer Coffey to the Pineland Commission. Jessica Sanchez will be replacing Gary Quinn and Jennifer Coffey will be replacing Bob Barr. Murphy has also re-nominated Ed Lloyd as Commissioner. Governor Murphy also appointed Rick Prickett as the new chair of the Pinelands Commission.

“On the 6^th Anniversary of the original denial of the SJ Gas application by the Pinelands Commission, what they did today was disgraceful. Six years ago, the Pinelands Commission denied the application, then Governor Christie stacked the commission with his appointees who are still running it. They want to turn the Pinelands into the Pipelands. We need Governor Murphy to veto the minutes of today’s Commission meeting so that this outrageous act did not happen and so that we can get a denial on this terrible project. It is better to have no resolution than a voted down resolution because then we can still work on rescinding the approval,” said Tittel. “The Governor also needs to fight to get his nomination through and hold the Senate President accountable and get these nominations approved.”

The Pinelands is the largest open space on the eastern seaboard and recognized for its biodiversity by the United Nations. The New Jersey Sierra Club is currently suing the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and the Pinelands Commission on their approval of the SRL pipeline. The New Jersey Sierra Club also filed with Pinelands Preservation Alliance requesting a motion for a stay by the Board of Public Utilities and the Pinelands Commission on the Southern Reliability Link Pipeline.

“Today, instead of protecting the Pinelands Protection Act, the commission turned into the Pinelands Permissive Act.  When the Pinelands Act was passed forty years ago, one of the major reasons was to prevent pipelines coming through to connect offshore oil to refineries in south Jersey. The purpose of this pipeline was to build a natural gas plant in Cape May, now that purpose is hot air. The SJG pipeline would not only destroy the Pinelands but also impact critical drinking water for millions of people,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “Today’s meeting shows that it is more important than ever to push Governor Murphy appointees for the Pinelands Commission through. We need people who will protect our environment and protect the Pinelands.”

 Link to Pinelands Commission Meeting Live Stream: https://www.nj.gov/pinelands/home/meetings/live/#1