From article, “Both the letter and its timing with FERC now having a quorum drew swift rebuke from opponents.
‘PennEast asking for an accelerated approval is outrageous and shameful,’ said Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. ‘Their applications and EIS (environmental impact statement) are incredibly incomplete and full of misleading and missing information.’
Tittel said PennEast doesn’t have approval from any major governmental agency.
Said Tittel, of the timing, ‘This is happening because the fossil fool in the White House appointed a quorum at FERC and PennEast is trying to cash in. This is still a seriously flawed proposal.’
‘This is not the time to rush a decision about PennEast,’ said Tom Gilbert, campaign director, ReThink Energy NJ and New Jersey Conservation Foundation.
‘The new Commissioners should review the record with an eye toward addressing the many outstanding questions about this troubled project that would need to seize a remarkable number of properties through eminent domain,’ he said.
Gilbert said the new commissioners ought to grant his groups’ motion to hold an evidentiary hearing, which they have power to do, ‘And take a real look at fundamental issues like whether the project is even needed in the first place.’
The pipeline, if built, plans to to move natural gas from the Marcellus Shale region in Luzerne County, Pa. to Hunterdon and Mercer counties in N.J. – a connector pipeline would then link it to an existing compressor in West Amwell.”