PennEast Pipeline Submits Application to Delaware River Basin Commission

The Delaware River Basin Commission has received an application from the PennEast Pipeline Company seeking approvals for the company’s 110-mile pipeline would cut through the Delaware River Valley.

The pipeline would cross the Delaware River and 87 other major waterways, cut through Hopewell Township, and connect to an existing pipeline in Pennington.

The Delaware River Basin Commission controls the region within the river basin and manages water quality, withdrawals, droughts, floods, conservation and permitting for the river and its tributaries.

“PennEast has applied to the Delaware River Basin Commission and now this starts the real battle to protect the Delaware Valley from this damaging pipeline,” said  Jeff Tittel, director of New Jersey Sierra Club. “The Delaware River Basin Commission has the authority to protect our valley and stop this project outright. This pipeline will cut an ugly scar through environmentally sensitive lands, impacting 39 parks, 88 waterways, 44 wetlands, 33 farms and other open space areas in New Jersey. This pipeline will promote fracking, add to air pollution, and create safety hazards to the communities it passes through.”

PennEast’s application process with the Delaware River Basin Commission could take up to a year.  Part of the line would pass through special protection waters of the Delaware River.

“The Delaware River Basin Commission needs to do a thorough review and environmental analysis of this pipeline because of where it goes and what it threatens,” Tittel said. “It will be cutting through areas that are more environmentally sensitive including more open space, historic sites, and parkland. The commission could add enough restrictions so that this pipeline never gets built.”

The Sierra Club is calling on the Delaware River Basin Commission hold a minimum of seven public meetings on the pipeline.

“We need extensive public input and scrutiny as well as at least seven hearings in all the different parts of the basin so the public has the ability to give proper input, Tittel said. “The Commission needs to hear from all the various parts of the basin that are impacted by this pipeline. The commission must do their job and ensure an open public process.”

Until a formal comment period is established, comments on the application may be sent to: penneastapp@drbc.nj.gov.

PennEast Pipeline’s application materials to the DRBC can be found online.

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Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.