Representatives of New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) have filed a petition with the state Board of Public Utilities proposing the construction of a 28- mile-long, 30-inch-diameter high pressure transmission pipeline through portions of Burlington, Monmouth and Ocean counties.
The company confirmed the April 2 action on its website.
NJNG filed the petition that, if approved, would allow the proposed pipeline to function with an operating pressure of 722 pounds per square inch gauge.
The infrastructure would be constructed through portions of Chesterfield Township, North Hanover Township, Upper Freehold Township, Plumsted Township, Jackson Township and Manchester Township.
According to the petition, the Southern Reliability Link project will connect a natural gas system that serves Monmouth, Ocean and Burlington county customers to a new Transco supply point in Chesterfield that is adjacent to the New Jersey Turnpike.
The project will also tie into NJNG’s transmission system in Manchester that is near the southern end of the transmission system.
In Chesterfield Township, the pipeline will begin at a proposed Transco compressor station on Route 528 and follow the road onto Route 677, Mathews Lane and back to Route 528. As the route enters North Hanover, it will continue to follow Route 528 and make its way to Route 664.
In Upper Freehold Township, the route will follow Arneytown-Hornerstown Road, Millstream Road and Route 537. Through Plumsted, the pipeline will follow Route 537 and continue onto Hornerstown Road, Pinehurst Road (Route 539), Lakewood Road (Route 528), Fisher Road, West Colliers Mills Road (Route 640) and Pinehurst Road (Route 539).
In Jackson, the pipeline will make its way along Pinehurst Road (Route 539) as it turns into Whiting-New Egypt Road.
According to the petition, the route will come to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst near the border of Jackson and Manchester. The pipeline will go around the base’s southern fence line and along access roads before exiting the base on Route 547.
The pipeline is expected to come to an end by tying into NJNG’s existing transmission system on Colonial Drive, south of Route 70 in Manchester, according to the petition.
NJNG’s petition said studies were performed to determine the best route for the pipeline, and it indicated letters will be sent to homes and businesses that would be within 100 feet of the pipeline.
Because the project may be subject to planning and zoning land use approvals in the affected municipalities, NJNG is challenging an Upper Freehold ordinance in state Superior Court, Freehold.
According to the petition, NJNG has maintained communication with Upper Freehold officials regarding possible routes for the pipeline. As a result of those discussions, the company contends, the Township Committee adopted an ordinance in February that amended regulations regarding road openings.
According to the ordinance, Upper Freehold “explicitly prohibits the issuance of road opening permits for projects that do not directly service or benefit the township.”
According to NJNG’s petition to the state, Upper Freehold has indicated that no route through the township can be occupied for natural gas transmission, thereby controlling the flow of natural gas.
NJNG claims it is beyond Upper Freehold’s ability as a municipality to claim such authority over road opening regulations.
“Upper Freehold improperly adopted the ordinance pursuant to its general police powers rather than its zoning powers,” the company said.
Members of a group known as Families for Responsible Pipelines are not satisfied with the route NJNG wants to follow because they say it is in close proximity to homes.
Upper Freehold resident John Inzilla said the proposed route is a major disappointment to residents.
“Our group is in total disagreement with this route, which places the pipeline in close proximity to houses within the blast zone on Arneystown-Hornerstown Road and Millstream Road, which backs to Nicholas Court. We will continue to express our strong opposition to this route and NJNG’s continued strategy of putting profits before people,” Inzilla said.
At the April 2 meeting of the Township Committee in Upper Freehold, Sean Sweeney, a member of Families for Responsible Pipelines, discussed the group’s disappointment with the route and asked the committee members to continue to make suggestions for an alternate route if it is not too late.
Committeewoman LoriSue Mount and Committeeman Stephen Alexander serve as liaisons to the pipeline project and said they will continue discussions with NJNG.
“I have spoken with NJNG and now that they have filed [a petition with the Board of Public Utilities], it has brought a different dynamic to the situation. They are open to discussion and other suggestions and alternate routes are still viable,” Alexander said.
According to NJNG’s petition, a public hearing regarding the pipeline project will be advertised and scheduled in the near future.
Inzilla said Families for Responsible Pipelines wants what is best for the community and added, “Our group’s position remains that the safest route would be for NJNG to follow [an established] utility corridor in the region.”