Plan to run pipeline through Pinelands gets public hearing
PEMBERTON, N.J. — As jobs-versus-environment clashes go, few issues have been as hard fought and generated as much passion in New Jersey as a proposal to run a natural gas pipeline through federally protected woods atop some of the nation’s purest drinking water.
The plan was narrowly defeated in 2014. But since then, Republican Gov. Chris Christie has replaced several commissioners on the state agency that will reconsider the plan with supporters of the pipeline. On Tuesday, a public hearing on building the pipeline was held in Pemberton.
With a new Republican administration in power in Washington that is more receptive to fossil-fuel energy projects, the fate of the Pinelands pipeline is sure to be closely watched by national energy and environmental groups. As the hearing was underway, President Donald Trump signed executive actions to advance the construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipeline projects.
“This is a symbol of the national battle between clean energy and renewable resources, and the push for pipelines,” said Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “This is the front line of a battle that’s coming where Donald Trump is going to want to push pipelines everywhere.”