September 27th, 2021 Decision – We won!

Article from ReThink Energy NJ

Failure to secure permits signals win for New Jersey and clean energy

The Evans Family on their farm in opposition to the PennEast Pipeline.

FAR HILLS, NJ, September 27, 2021 – PennEast Pipeline Company today announced it will abandon plans for a fossil gas pipeline in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

“PennEast has ceased all further development of the Project,” the company said in a statement that cited lack of necessary permits as the reason.

Environmental advocates, residents, and federal, state and local government officials combatted the unneeded pipeline for seven years. The company’s decision came three months after a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court affirming PennEast’s right to condemn state-owned land to build the pipeline. But without permits from state authorities to build the pipeline in areas protected by New Jersey’s stringent environmental regulations under the Clean Water Act, the Court ruling was not enough to salvage the project.

“This is a great victory for the communities, organizations and elected officials that fought this unneeded, polluting project for years,” said Tom Gilbert, campaign director for New Jersey Conservation Foundation and ReThink Energy NJ. “Our public and private lands won’t be seized and scarred, and our water and air won’t be polluted. New Jersey stayed strong and will be healthier and safer without PennEast. Fossil fuel projects such as this have no place as we transition to a clean energy future.”

The project faced tremendous opposition from affected landowners and communities, and a series of legal challenges from the State of New Jersey, New Jersey Conservation Foundation, the Watershed Institute, HALT PennEast and the Delaware Riverkeeper Network.

Click to Tweet

Click to tweetPennEast cancels pipeline project: “New Jersey stayed strong and will be healthier and safer without PennEast. Fossil fuel projects such as this have no place as we transition to a clean energy future.” —@2TomGilbert, @rethinkenergynj http://ow.ly/4uKy50Ghhva #StopPennEast

“We battled this self-dealing project at every turn with economic data and science showing why PennEast would harm New Jersey ratepayers and its environment,” said Jennifer Danis, senior fellow at Columbia University Law School’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. “PennEast’s cancelation should send a strong signal to other proposed but unneeded gas infrastructure projects: We stand ready to fight for our right to a clean and just transition to renewable energy.”

“I’m grateful for all of the work that has been accomplished by the advocacy groups on the ground these last years, fighting this unnecessary and dangerous proposal. I also thank the residents and communities on the front line of the proposed route for their tireless efforts,” said Rep. Bonnie Watson-Coleman. “My work is not done. I will continue to commit to this fight for comprehensive oversight by FERC. We must have accountability when it comes to proposed projects and take a cumulative approach of the need and the environmental impact when pipelines are put forth into consideration. Make no mistake though, today is a great win.”

“Today we celebrate a major victory for landowners, for the environment, and for the dedicated advocates who have spent years fighting the destructive and unnecessary PennEast pipeline — our hard work paid off,” said Rep. Tom Malinowski. “Through litigation, legislation, and enforcement of environmental rules, we mustered a force that could not be resisted. I hope that the affected landowners will finally enjoy the peace of mind they deserve, and the satisfaction of knowing that when local communities come together to protect their rights, they can still beat corporate power.”

“We have been opposed to this unneeded PennEast project since day one. This decision is a victory for all New Jerseyans who want to breathe clean air. We congratulate the homeowners, environmental activists, local officials, and the Murphy Administration for their tireless efforts to stop this project. The PennEast pipeline is not needed and would threaten the health and safety of local communities and our state,” said Ed Potosnak, executive director, New Jersey LCV. “We look forward to a future based on clean renewable energy that moves us away from dirty methane gas, and that will provide good local-union jobs and preserve our beautiful state for our children and grandchildren.”

“Who says a small community of committed homeowners and their allies can’t overcome the massive force of five billion-dollar energy companies, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Supreme Court?” said Vince DiBianca, a founder of HALT PennEast (Homeowners Against Land Taking). “Homeowners are deeply grateful to the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, the State of New Jersey and the Delaware Riverkeeper Network.  Chalk-up a heartwarming win to people and the planet!”

“Today, water, the environment and people spoke louder than fossil fuels,” said Jim Waltman, the Watershed’s executive director. “The Watershed Institute congratulates and thanks the many local, state, and federal officials of both parties and thousands of residents for their determined opposition to this unnecessary and destructive proposal.”

“PennEast’s cancelation of this unneeded, dangerous fracked gas pipeline is a momentous win for the communities that have fought hard for years to defend their property and the environment,” said Joseph Otis Minott, Clean Air Council executive director and chief counsel. “Others who seek to exploit the residents and natural resources of New Jersey and Pennsylvania should take note:  we are not easy-take states and we will continue to resist.”

“My children and I are overcome with sheer joy and gratitude that the fight against the PennEast Pipeline is finally over!” said Jaqueline Evans, a landowner whose home was threatened by the pipeline route. “For the past seven years we have fought this unneeded and unwanted pipeline that has threatened the state of New Jersey and the towns on the proposed line. We protected our children, their future, our land, pristine C1 streams, endangered wildlife species, our local economy, history.”

“We are grateful to our many partners in this long fight,” said Michele Byers, executive director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation. “This has been a top priority of our organization over the past six years. We simply could not allow this unneeded pipeline to take and damage the lands that we and others worked so hard to preserve for future generations.”

September 2021 Report To Stakeholders

SEPT. REPORT TO CARBON COUNTY STAKEHOLDERS

By SAVE CARBON COUNTY

PennEast/UGI Pipeline Project- Prepared 9/30/21

PennEast has announced the news that the PennEast pipeline project has
been dropped.
Their announcement explained, “…following extensive evaluation
and discussion, we have recently determined further development of the project
no longer is supported. Accordingly, PennEast has ceased all further development
of the project. This is great news for landowners and environmentalists who have
been fighting the pipeline for seven years. The company has dismissed 70
Eminent Domain cases against landowners in PA and has announced that they will
not pursue Eminent Domain against the State of New Jersey for 42 state-
preserved or owned parcels. This means that the PennEast Certificate approved in
2018 and slated to expire in January of 2022 will be invalid.


If the PennEast company decides to pursue any part of the pipeline, they will be
required to go through the entire Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
process and reinstate Eminent Domain procedures from the beginning.


This pipeline would’ve emitted 49 million tons of greenhouse gases each year, the
equivalent of 14 coal plants and 10 million cars.  The Kidder Compressor station alone
would have emitted over 100 tons of pollutants each year including formaldehyde and
nitric oxide.  And the pipeline would have devastated two of our recreational jewels–
Hickory Run and Beltzville State Parks.  
 
The pipeline’s goal was to take gas to New Jersey.  It was never planned to provide
residential service in our county or in Pennsylvania.  Yes, it would’ve provided a cheaper
gas source to a development project at the Blue Mountain Ski Resort but that project
was planned well before the pipeline received federal approval and plans to develop
Blue Mountain will go forward according to the company.  
 
As for cheaper gas:  PennEast would have increased costs for customers because the
rate payers would have paid for the cost of the pipeline plus interest on top of their
monthly bill.  With or without the pipeline, residents will see an increase in their
residential gas bills.  Why?  The United States now allows gas companies to export,
forcing stateside customers to compete with European gas rates which are up to four
times our U.S. rates.  Does anyone believe that PennEast gas would have stayed in the
U.S.?
Save Carbon County is a member of a regional and two-state effort to stop the PennEast/UGI pipeline.Local information can be found on FaceBook at “Stop the Fracking Pipeline.” Regional Information can be found on FaceBook at “Stop PennEast Pipeline.”

August 2021 Report To Stakeholders

AUGUST REPORT TO CARBON COUNTY STAKEHOLDERS

By SAVE CARBON COUNTY

PennEast/UGI Pipeline Project- Prepared 8/30/21


PennEast has announced that it will not complete the
acquisition of rights of way “for some time.”
Their attorney in PA
has indicated that the company will dismiss all condemnation suits.
The suits will be dismissed in a way that will allow them to be
reopened at a future date. The company continues to express
confidence in the project but stated, “Given the uncertainty on timing
to resolve the remaining legal and regulatory hurdles, PennEast
believes it is not prudent to complete the acquisition of rights of way in
the pending actions in Pennsylvania, as it might not be necessary for
some time.” Reports indicate that there are as many as 70 cases that
will be dismissed.


The pipeline company recently had a big win against the State of New
Jersey at the Supreme Court which essentially permitted them to
condemn 43 parcels controlled or owned by the State of New Jersey,
so this is a surprising move. However, despite the win at the Supreme
Court, PennEast faces many future obstacles. There are pending cases
before the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals challenging the certificate
issued to the pipeline by the Federal Energy Regulatory Agency (FERC)
and there are significant regulatory hurdles ahead. The pipeline will
need a Clean Water Certification from the State of New Jersey, which
may present problems, as well as a permit from the Delaware River
Basin Commission and a final PA wetlands permit from the Army Corps
of Engineers. Additionally, the company’s proposed phased approach
to the pipeline’s construction has yet to obtain a certificate from FERC.
This approach would have allowed the company to proceed with
construction in PA while awaiting resolution of issues in New Jersey.

PennEast is also facing a loss of confidence by company partners.
Four of the five partners have downgraded their investment in the
project in amounts of roughly $90 million each. In addition to these
many problems, the federal certificate which grants the company the
right to condemn land will expire in January of 2022.


Save Carbon County is a member of a regional and two-state effort to stop the PennEast/UGI pipeline.
Local information can be found on FaceBook at “Stop the Fracking Pipeline.” Regional Information can be found on FaceBook at “Stop PennEast Pipeline.”

Posters on the Pipeline ; Kitty Evans

Introduction

These posters are the art work of our Webmaster, Kitty Evans.  She created these as a school project but we think they express not only her feelings about living with the threat of the PennEast pipeline but the feelings of many of our HALT landowners.

Take a look if you would like some insight into the day to day impact of this project over the past seven years.

The Poisonous Dangers of the Proposed PennEast Pipeline

The PennEast Pipeline, Jacqueline Haut Evans, and HALT PennEast