NBC News: San Bruno: NJ Worries It Could Happen Here
Mayor Healy appeared on NBC News at 11 with Brian Thompson discussing the threat of the proposed Spectra pipeline to the residents of Jersey City. The TV broadcast discusses the mayor's intention to declare Intervenor standing at FERC as well as the other major stakeholders who have issue with the routing of the pipeline.
It's a solid piece and were grateful to Brian Thompson and NBC for the coverage as well as the Mayor's office for pushing this story.
» Watch the video on NYC New York
Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy said his city was offered a minimum of two million dollars a year as compensation if he would endorse several miles of the main on the projected route to New York.
"No matter how safe you make it, you can't make it fail safe," said Mayor Healy in explaining why he rejected the offer.
Instead, he has had his city file for 'official intervenor' status with the FERC, the Federal Energy Regulator Commission, which has the final say on the routings of pipeline projects.
Healy ticked off the negatives if there were to be a 'San Bruno' accident in his much more crowded city; schools and playgrounds just yards away, the New Jersey Turnpike above certain sections of the proposed pipeline, NJ Transit's busy Hoboken Terminal, and the impact on future development on vacant land next to the right of way.
"It would be nothing short of catastrophic," Healy said.
The article then goes on to make mention of the various, major stakeholders that have issues with the routing.
NJ Transit wrote FERC and raised several serious questions about the pipeline's potential impact on its Hoboken Terminal and long term plans to use the land Spectra wants.
"NJ TRANSIT suggests that FERC consider requiring that the route of the pipeline be moved to a less risk-intensive location, such as into the Hudson River," Steve Santoro, Assistant Executive Director wrote in a letter to the agency.
The New Jersey Turnpike has also raised concerns with the feds, according to spokesman Joe Orlando.
And the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey also weighed in with a 12 page letter of concerns with the proposed routing, claiming "The presence of a high-pressure natural gas pipeline in close proximity to several of our facilities presents a potential risk to the PANYNJ core functions should a catastrophic event occur" in its letter to the feds.
Spectra gets the last, if hollow words:
"We will very closely study information on the cause of the incident in California and if there are any changes to be made we will make those changes."
If there are any changes to be made? Yes, there is a major change to be made. Put the pipeline under New York Harbor and run it up the Hudson!
