Pamela of West Amwell wrote a tour-to-force submission to the FERC objecting to the pipeline and the procedures being followed in its review.

Pamela of West Amwell – FERC Generated PDF

Pamela of West Amwell – FERC Generated PDF Alternate Site

Pamela points out in particular that PennEast there are many good alternatives to the proposed pipeline route, and they simply are not taking those alternatives seriously. It’s a dense, information packed essay that I urge you to read in full. This one section really caught my eye though:

2) The Transco Alternative as proposed has less potential for impacts in a majority of the CIA categories. It is understood that the Transco Alternative as proposed does not provide the same connectivity benefits as the Preferred Alternative and would need modification prior to impact assessment; however, in the absence of well-developed Transco Alternative(s) that would meet connectivity needs, my comments reference the Transco Alternative as presented.

A comparison of the Critical Issues Analysis (CIA) items in Tables 10-2 and 10-7 shows that the Transco Alternative has less potential impacts within its 400-foot study corridor than the Preferred Alternative. The Transco Alternative:

– Crosses one less municipality;
– Fewer streams;
– Fewer cold water fishes/fewer warm water fishes;
– Fewer naturally producing trout waters;
– Fewer Non-Chapter 93 Designated Streams;
– Fewer Category 1 Streams;
– 26 less acres of NWI wetlands within its corridor;
– Fewer centerline crossings of NWI wetlands;
– Fewer wells;
– 777 less acres of CNHI-designated habitat (Core Habitat/Supporting Landscapes);
– Zero acres of Natural Heritage Priority Sites (compared to 3 acres for the Preferred Alternative);
– 15 less acres of wellhead protection area within its corridor;
– Zero acres within the Delaware and Raritan Canal Commission Review Zone B (compared to
669 with the Preferred Alternative);
– 225 less acres of State Parks (PA) within its corridor (6 acres compared to 231 with the Preferred
Alternative);
– 58 less acres of State Game Lands (PA);
– 203 less acres of NJ Farmland Preserved Parcels;
– 18 less acres of Agricultural Security Areas;
– Zero acres of Karst (PA) (compared to 197 acres within the Preferred Alternative); and,
– Lower percentage of wetland acres within its corridor