Lance opposes pipeline route in Hunterdon

FLEMINGTON – Congressman Leonard Lance (R-District 7) has joined the chorus of critics of the proposed PennEast natural gas pipeline which would slice through the western section of Hunterdon County parallel to the the Delaware River.

In a statement released on Thursday, Lance, who is running for re-election this year, said “it is my hope that PennEast Pipeline company representatives will reexamine the project’s proposed path and work with New Jersey’s two U.S. Senators, the congressional delegation, state and local elected officials as well as concerned citizens in presenting a new plan that protects property rights and preserves public and private lands.”

PennEast wants to build a 105-mile $1 billion pipeline to transport natural gas from Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, to Mercer County. The pipeline would pass through Hunterdon County, cutting through Holland, Alexandria, Kingwood, Delaware and West Amwell townships parallel to the river.

Three natural gas pipelines already pass through the county.

“My constituents are right to be concerned about the current PennEast pipeline project,” Lance said in the statement. “After careful consideration and review, I have significant questions about the project’s current path and expected use of lands under farmland preservation protection and within the Delaware River Watershed.”

Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-15th District), who is running for Congress in the 12th District, has sent a letter opposing the pipeline to the federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

“This proposal is especially noxious because it disregards the availability of alternate routes using existing utility rights-of-way and disregards the cumulative impact of multiple other pipeline projects proposed or under construction across New Jersey, projects that make this new pipeline through mostly undisturbed natural and agricultural areas completely unnecessary,” Watson Coleman wrote.

Angry residents have attended community meetings in the western party of Hunterdon and Pennsylvania to express opposition to the proposed pipeline.

Delaware Township in Hunterdon County and Hopewell Township in Mercer County have passed resolutions opposing the project.

Environmentalists have also rallied against the pipeline proposal.

“The PennEast Pipeline project, if allowed to move forward, would be another cut through our communities, our public parks, our preserved forests and farms, our creeks, wetlands and special places,” said Maya van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper. “It will leave a cut through our communities that the pipeline company won’t allow to heal. All to make profits for the pipeline and drilling industries and to avoid the investment in sustainable energy that our country truly needs. But PennEast never counted on the residents from our region who are not going to lay down and simply be run over.”

The Kingwood Township Committee will conduct a public forum on the pipeline at 7 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Kingwood Volunteer Firehouse, 952 Route 519.

PennEast, a company formed by a partnership among AGL Resources, NJR Pipeline, South Jersey Industries and UGI Energy Services, will begin preliminary engineering studies this year and will submit a formal application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

John Walsh, president and CEO of UGI, said the pipeline is needed because “customer demand has increased significantly.”

Staff Writer Mike Deak: 908-243-6607; mdeak@mycentraljersey.com