Acting on the Governor’s commitment to oppose a potentially damaging onshore pipeline that would traverse the Garden State and connect to a proposed natural gas facility 16 miles off the Jersey coast, the Christie Administration has filed a motion to intervene in opposition to an application from Liberty Natural Gas, LLC to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the approvals necessary to proceed with the project.
“My Administration is taking action to move our State’s energy future forward in a positive way by promoting the development of new, innovative technology in the renewable energy industry. Natural gas is and will remain a piece of our state’s energy puzzle, but liquefied natural gas has not been shown to be a viable and needed piece of New Jersey’s energy plan, nor will it necessarily result in lower price for New Jersey families,” said Governor Christie.
“As a result, I will not subject our State’s shore and economy to the environmental risks that are inseparable from such a project. From New Jersey’s perspective, this is simply not a workable project and I will exercise my authority to stop it.”
On October 14, 2010, Liberty filed with FERC an application for an onshore pipeline designed to carry up to 2.4 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas. The onshore pipeline is only one piece of the company’s proposed Liberty Natural Gas Project, which would entail the construction of a 9.2-mile onshore pipeline from Linden to Perth Amboy; a submerged pipeline running along the coastline; and a deepwater port approximately 16 miles off the coast of Asbury Park, at which Liberty proposes to re-gasify liquefied natural gas (LNG) for transport onshore.
“New Jersey opposes Liberty’s proposed deepwater port, which is a crucial piece of their proposed project,” said DEP Commissioner Bob Martin. “Governor Christie has repeatedly expressed his steadfast opposition to LNG facilities off New Jersey’s coastline, including his intention to use his veto authority under the Deepwater Port Act to prevent construction off our shore. Without the deepwater port, the onshore pipeline is a bridge to nowhere. Its potential environmental and economic impacts on New Jersey are unacceptable.”
The Governor has consistently opposed offshore oil and natural gas projects, particularly LNG facilities, saying that the environmental risks associated with such projects cannot be justified, and that while the Administration is committed to development of clean energy industries in New Jersey, offshore LNG is not the answer.
During Earth Day ceremonies earlier this year, Governor Christie and Commissioner Martin affirmed the administration’s opposition to LNG facilities off the New Jersey coastline.
The City of Perth Amboy has also filed a motion to intervene on Liberty’s FERC application.
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Source: New Jersey DEP, November 18, 2010;