As dozens of residents filled the auditorium of the Stone Bridge Middle School for the Jan. 6 Upper Freehold Township Committee meeting, local officials heard the pleas of those who stand in opposition to a plan being considered by New Jersey Natural Gas to run a high-pressure gas pipeline through the municipality.
Mayor Stanley Moslowski Jr. and the rest of the Township Committee members said they oppose the construction of a gas pipeline in Upper Freehold.
They expressed their concerns for safety and the environment while dealing with this issue.
“I am firmly against this and can’t imagine it in my wildest dreams. The county is prepared to be on our side and we have to continue to fight this together,” Moslowski said.
Deputy Mayor Robert Frascella said the pipeline has no business being in Upper Freehold.
“I don’t want this pipeline in such close proximity to my home or anyone else’s home. We are awaiting more information from New Jersey Natural Gas and we need a unified front to fight this because it has no place here,” Frascella said.
Committeewoman Lorisue Mount stressed the importance of keeping in mind the safety of residents.
“I will never be in favor of anything that jeopardizes the citizens of our community,” Mount said.
Members of a group called Families for Responsible Pipelines voiced their thoughts on the issue.
Sean Sweeney said many residents chose Upper Freehold as their home because of the open spaces and he said the construction of a gas pipeline would affect that atmosphere.
“Many people have moved to this area because of the rural atmosphere and because of the country code ordinance, which preserves farmland. This will all be disrupted with a pipeline that is not even 50 feet away from my child’s bedroom,” Sweeney said. John Inzilla said residents who have joined Families for Responsible Pipelines are not against clean energy, but they oppose placing the infrastructure in what they believe are irresponsible places.
“We are dead-set against these pipelines, and this is not a ‘not in my backyard’ situation because it should not be in anyone’s yard. I suggest that the committee officially set out a setback of 500 feet or more for these pipelines to not be so close to homes and to also look at adjusting road opening moratoriums,” Inzilla said.
Tina Loock said there needs to be a strong public stand against the pipeline.
“New Jersey Natural Gas is considering the installation of this pipeline to be ‘remotely reasonable,’ which it is not since it is going to be so close to our homes,” Loock said. State Assemblyman Ron Dancer (R-Ocean) was in attendance at the Jan. 6 meeting and said the committee and residents have support from the state on this issue.
“It is very important to extend awareness of this issue to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, which will ultimately make the decision to do what is best for the greater good of the majority of the state. I am working on a bill which will state that pipelines are not needed in residential neighborhoods,” Dancer said.
Representatives of New Jersey Natural Gas were not present at the meeting.
The company recently confirmed it is examining the possibility of constructing a high-pressure gas pipeline through Upper Freehold as part of the Southern Reliability Link, which is the second major feed from an interstate pipeline system.
The proposed construction of the pipeline could also affect neighboring Plumsted, North Hanover and Chesterfield.
The link would connect to a major interstate system that extends through Monmouth, Ocean and Middlesex counties, according to a spokesman for the company.
According to Upper Freehold officials, the proposed pipeline could affect the following roads: Archertown Road, Applegate Lane, Arneytown Hornerstown Road, Chesterfield-Arneytown Road, Bordentown Chesterfield Road, Chesterfield-Crosswicks Road, Chesterfield-Hornerstown Road, Chesterfield-Jacobstown Road, Harrison Road, Highbridge Road, Hill Road, Hutchinson Road, Lakewood Road, Monmouth Road/Route 537, Moorehouse Road, Nicholas Court, Paulson Road, Provinceline Road, Route 539, West Colliers Mill Road and U.S. Department of Defense property.
The Township Committee will continue to examine the issue and keep the public informed, according to Moslowski, who said, “We will stay in communication with New Jersey Natural Gas as we wait for more information to be released about this pipeline.”