Bloomfield Council Passes Resolution Against Pipeline Proposal

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The Bloomfield Town Council recently took a symbolic stance against the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company’s proposal to expand its footprint in North Jersey.

During their Monday meeting, the council passed a resolution that calls on Gov. Phil Murphy to deny key environmental permits needed for the East 300 Upgrade Project.

According to a statement from Food & Water Watch, residents are concerned about the possible risks of “building a major fossil fuel processing facility” within 2,000 feet of the Monksville Reservoir, since 3.5 million people source their drinking water from the system.

Bloomfield is one of 12 municipalities that contracts with the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission, and receives a portion of residents’ drinking water from the Monksville-Wanaque Reservoir system.

According to Kinder Morgan, Inc., the project will help meet the energy needs of a hungry consumer base. The company says:

“The East 300 Upgrade Project will increase natural gas capacity on the existing TGP pipeline system by 115,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/day) to meet the specified market need of the project shipper, Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. In addition, the increased transportation capacity and access to the natural gas supplies supported by the project will help eliminate capacity constraints in the region, especially during periods of peak demand, ensuring that the area is able to meet residential, commercial, and industrial heating and cooling needs. To make this possible, the East 300 Upgrade Project involves modifications to an existing compressor station in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, and an existing compressor station in Sussex County, New Jersey. It also includes the construction of one new electric-driven compressor station along TGP’s existing 300 Line in the Township of West Milford in Passaic County, New Jersey. The proposed site for the new compressor station is a previously disturbed industrial parcel, formerly used as a quarry and other industrial and commercial purposes.”

Pending the receipt of all required permits, construction will begin in March 2022 with an expected in-service date of Nov. 1, 2022, the company says.

Some environmental activists have a different take on the proposal, however. According to Food & Water Watch:

“The Tennessee Gas ‘East 300 Upgrade’ expansion project involves the construction of two new gas compressor stations: one in Wantage Township that would more than triple the size of the existing facility there, and one in West Milford at the site of a former quarry adjacent to the Monksville Reservoir. Compressor stations maintain or increase pressure in natural gas transmission lines, and operators regularly ‘blow down’ the facility releasing gas when too much pressure has built up. These new compressors would allow the company to pipe higher volumes of fracked gas from Pennsylvania at greater pressure through an aging pipeline system to Westchester County in New York. This project serves no benefit to New Jersey residents but brings increased danger, air pollution, and noise to local communities.”

“These two new fracked gas compressors would bring serious risks and negative impacts to residents in Wantage and West Milford, those who live along the pipeline route, and the millions of New Jersey residents who source their water from the Highlands region,” said Bloomfield resident Ted Glick, who serves as president of 350 NJ-Rockland.

“I commend the Bloomfield council for standing up for clean water and public health by passing this resolution,” Glick said.

“By passing strong resolutions against Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company’s dangerous proposal, Bloomfield elected officials are standing up for the health and safety of their residents, and the water supply of millions,” said Sam DiFalco, an organizer with Food & Water Watch.

“Governor Murphy must follow suit by rejecting this project,” DiFalco added.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Don’t forget to visit the Patch Bloomfield Facebook page. Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Sign up for Patch email newsletters.