By Jane Meggitt, Special Writer
UPPER FREEHOLD — Approximately 100 people braved the cold and attended the Jan. 6 Township Committee meeting to voice concerns regarding a proposed 30-inch high-pressure natural gas line in the western corner of Upper Freehold.
New Jersey Natural Gas wants to install the line, which will not serve the township. The governing body moved its first meeting of the year to the Stone Bridge Middle School in anticipation of a large audience.
Members of a grassroots group called Families for Responsible Pipelines, made up primarily of residents of Nicholas Court and the Hornerstown section of town, spoke during the public portion of the meeting. No NJNG representatives attended the meeting.
FFRP member Sean Sweeny, of Nicholas Court, said one of the reasons he moved to the township was because of its country code. He knew he couldn’t expect perfectly paved roads, water and sewer service or municipal trash collection, but that didn’t include “a 30-inch gas line traveling 50 feet from my children’s and neighbor’s bedroom.”
John Inzilla, another FFRP member and Nicholas Court resident, said NJNG shouldn’t put corporate profits before people. He said he wasn’t against a natural gas pipeline, just against putting them in the wrong places.
He said he would like the township to have the discretion to approve or deny street opening requests, which it currently does not have.
Talva Warner, of Provinceline Road, said the proposed pipeline is designed to virtually wrap around her property, which contains an 18th-century house. The pipeline is less than 10 feet away in one section, she said.
Ms. Warner said the line would be less than 100 feet away from a Revolutionary War cemetery, which contains the remains of a Revolutionary War hero.
All five members of the Township Committee expressed strong feelings against the proposed line. Committeeman Steve Alexander noted NJNG has not yet set up a meeting with the county regarding the pipeline.
”We aren’t going to be intimidated by any utility,” he said. “We want to keep it out of Upper Freehold Township.”
Mayor Stan Moslowski Jr. said he was firmly against the proposal, adding he couldn’t imagine how it could be installed on a residential street “50 to 75 feet from someone’s front door.”
He added NJNG has not come before the township with any application or request.
Assemblyman Ron Dancer, R-12, told the attendees he represents not only Upper Freehold, but three other towns the proposed pipeline might traverse: Chesterfield, North Hanover and Plumsted.
Assemblyman Dancer said that while it was important to voice opposition with local officials, including the Monmouth, Ocean and Burlington counties boards of chosen freeholders, he is introducing a bill in the Assembly opposing the pipeline going through residential neighborhoods.
He said a similar bill will be introduced in the state Senate.
Assemblyman Dancer said he believed the issue ultimately will be decided by the Board of Public Utilities, whose members are appointed by the governor. The BPU has the final say in approving or denying the pipeline route.
”If you have a bill approved by the Assembly and the Senate, that will get the attention of the BPU, and they will consider it not just a NIMBY (not in my backyard) issue,” he said.
