NJ Department of Environmental Protection, Cynically Shows YOU Don't Matter by Issuing Permits Ahead of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Ruling!
NJ Department of Environmental Protection, headed up by Director Bob Martin, Governor Christie's pick from the energy consultants side with no environmental credentials, chose to issue Spectra Energy flood hazard, waterfront development and fresh water wetlands permits.
None of this was unexpected by NO Gas Pipeline. When first we heard of Bob Martins appointment by Governor Christie and knew of his energy-friendly stance as he was an energy consultant, that was akin to asking the fox to watch the hen house. No sooner was Martin in office than his rapaciousness against environmental concerns was made apparent. Martin moved against the protected last source of original hardwoods in New Jersey, located in the Highlands state park to bring another pipeline through that land and the board resigned in disgust.
A Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) facility was proposed for offshore of Perth Amboy and Bob Martin intervened (formal process to establish legal standing) and later Governor Christie vetoed the LNG facility. So had both changed their ways and come to seek absolution as new environmentalists? No, instead it was just political gamesmanship on both their parts. Governor Christie's campaign promise was to veto the project and this act served as more protection for the pay-to-play gas interests of New Jersey whose gas would not be liquefied but instead offshore interests of other countries. So Christie's veto acted to protect those very interests that fill political coffers running for office.
So no, we weren't surprised that Director Bob Martin and Governor Christie behind the scenes are pulling the puppet strings to affect these cynical permits being approved before FERC makes their final approval ruling in April 2012.
A year ago this is what the NJ DEP said:
"The department urges the development of additional alternatives to avoid adverse and unacceptable impacts to New Jersey public lands, municipal park lands, state parks and other sensitive environmental areas, and to ensure that any natural gas pipeline expansion meets the state's environmental laws," said Scott Brubaker, director of the DEP's Office of Permit Coordination and Environmental Review in a letter to the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission."
So magically even before FERC has completed their final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)which FERC has indicated should not be completed till January 26, 2012 and FERC's final ruling to permit the pipeline or not, until end of April 2012, NJ DEP suggests everyone in Jersey City, Bayonne, Hoboken, Staten island and New York City don't matter and has cynically granted permits now.
Last November 22, 2010, Meagan Gordon of Platts.com, an industry publication for the oil and gas industry wrote:
NJ DEP objects to Spectra's gas line expansion route into Manhattan
Houston (Platts)--22 Nov 2010
Brubaker said the proposed route would harm a "significant amount" of protect freshwater wetlands, altering their water table and drainage patterns.
"These areas contain sensitive flora and fauna as well as threatened and endangered species," he said.
The pipeline would pass through or near three sites where the DEP is concerned pipeline construction might spread groundwater contamination already existing there: Harbor Pipeline Co. in Linden City, Texaco Refining and Marketing Co. in Bayonne and the Military Ocean Terminal in Bayonne.
New Jersey regulators also want time restrictions on various construction activities to protect migrating and spawning winter flounder, nesting osprey and night heron, and hibernating wood turtles.
The department added that Spectra failed to develop viable alternatives for avoiding several parks and bird sanctuaries.
"There are better alternative routes available that have not been examined, including routes that do not significantly traverse New Jersey public lands, municipal parks lands or state parks," Brubaker said
How interesting that all of the above concerns disappear as we move forward to the final FERC Environmental Impact Statement(EIS)date of January 26, 2012.
However, the final act begins when we at NO Gas Pipeline sues FERC in federal court and then we'll see who made a rush to judgment and counted their chickens before they hatched.
(c) Dale Hardman
