TIMELINE OF REGULATORY PROCESS

The NESE project is currently in the “Application” period. Williams/Transco submitted their Application in March 2017, and FERC published their Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) on March 23, 2018. Williams/Transco has been asked by FERC to provide more information – some, by the end of the “comment period” – May 14, 2018, and some later.

The company hopes to receive the “Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity” from FERC in December 2018. Before they start any actual construction, however, they need permits from the states of NJ, NY & PA.

The timeline for the NESE project that shows prior activity as well as anticipated future actions is shown below. Attached are documents explaining the actions by FERC as well as the NJDEP that allow for public review & input.

IMPORTANT ACTIONS TO TAKE NOW

See ACTIONS TO TAKE page for more information and instructions on each of these important action steps.

Send letters to NJDEP & watch for announcements of NJDEP’s scheduled “fact-finding” meeting about the water permit applications.
Send comments to FERC: require a revised or supplemental DEIS.
Tell your elected/appointed representatives that you want them to support the opposition to the NESE project.
Share concerns on social media.

Keep sending comments to FERC

Send comments to FERC that request a “reset” for the DEIS by asking them to publish a revised/supplemental DEIS that addresses all new information & all concerns of the public. Tell FERC that the March 23, 2018 DEIS was missing critical information, dismissed comments of the public & elected officials, and lacked supportive studies or data for FERC’s conclusions. Additionally, Williams/Transco submitted thousands of pages of new information and reports that needs to be reviewed and analyzed in a document that FERC publishes during the time period when the public can truly provide meaningful comments. These submissions were in May and June 2018 – after the DEIS was published & after the end of the “official” time period for sending comments to FERC.

FERC claims that they consider ALL comments they receive. Many people need to let them know that the DEIS was not acceptable.

When you send a comment to FERC, also forward that comment to the NJDEP –

Commissioner Catherine McCabe: Commissioner@dep.nj.gov
Director Ruth Foster: Ruth.Foster@dep.nj.gov

You can also forward your comments to your elected officials and ask them to support the opposition to NESE.

Send comments to the NJDEP

Commissioner Catherine McCabe: Commissioner@dep.nj.gov
Director Ruth Foster: Ruth.Foster@dep.nj.gov

Williams/Transco submitted new applications for water permits (Freshwater Wetlands, Flood Hazard Area Control, Coastal Wetlands, & Waterfront Development) on June 19, 2018.

Tell NJDEP that you want them to hold two (2) public fact-finding meetings – one by the Raritan Bay (Old Bridge / Sayreville) and one by the proposed Compressor Station 206 area (Franklin Township / South Brunswick).
Tell NJDEP that you expect them to deny the permits unless they obtain and carefully review all needed information and actually find that the proposed project would not cause harm to the environment, people or wildlife.
Tell NJDEP that an increase in reliance on fossil fuels for energy does not support New Jersey’s goal to transition to renewables and clean energy.