SOUTH BRUNSWICK — The Township Council officially opposed the construction of a natural gas compressor station in nearby Franklin Township by passing a resolution on July 26.
Williams Company operates the Transco natural gas pipeline that transports natural gas from South Texas to New York City. Williams is proposing the Northeast Supply Enhancement Project for construction and installation of a compressor station for connection to the Transco pipeline on a portion of the Trap Rock Quarry property located near the intersection of Route 27 and Promenade Boulevard in South Brunswick to supply the Brooklyn and Rockaway areas of New York at the request of their customer National Grid, the resolution states.
Well over 100 residents attended a meeting in South Brunswick on July 12, with many questions about noise, safety and environmental/health effects having gone unanswered.
Despite the concerns and opposition to this compressor station, Williams continues to evaluate two sites out of four that were considered at the Trap Rock Quarry. Both of the sites considered for this compressor station border South Brunswick and would “dramatically affect the quality of life of many of the residents of South Brunswick Township if it were to be constructed, while providing no benefits to this area,” the resolution states.
“The negative impacts and safety risks identified far outweigh the need to construct a compressor station at this location, which necessity Williams failed to properly demonstrate during their presentation. This is a perfect example of the need for such legislation and Williams is urged to find an alternate location for this project,” according to the resolution.
“Therefore, the mayor and council formally oppose the construction and installation of a compressor station on all proposed locations in and around South Brunswick; urge Williams to eliminate any further consideration for a compressor station at the Trap Rock locations and/or locations in South Brunswick and to find an alternate location for the construction and installation of a compressor station; urge the FERC to deny any application for these locations; and urge representatives of the United States Congress, United States Senate and New Jersey Legislature to oppose this compressor station application,” the resolution states.
A copy of the resolution will be forwarded to U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Middlesex), Sen. Christopher Bateman (R-Mercer), Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli (R-Mercer) and Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker (D-Mercer).