To: Burlington County Board of Freeholders
Tell Commissioner Earlen to Reject Pipelines through Pinelands
I am writing to urge the Burlington County Board of Freeholders to oppose the South Jersey Gas and the New Jersey Natural Gas pipelines. Both pipelines violate the rules that protect the Pinelands National Reserve. If these rules are compromised, it will set a dangerous precedent that can’t be undone.
Commissioner Earlen is intended to represent us, the residents of Burlington County. The NJNG and SJG pipelines will put us and our environment at risk. We reject these pipelines and expect Commissioner Earlen to act accordingly.
Why is this important?
There are two high pressure gas pipelines proposed for construction that will impact Pinelands residents and natural resources. Both proposed pipelines violate the rules that protect the Pinelands National Reserve, a state and federally protected region in New Jersey. Approximately 2/3 of Burlington County is located within the Pinelands National Reserve.
The state Pinelands Commission is a 15-member independent public body responsible for enforcing the rules that protect the Pinelands. They will vote in early 2017 on whether or not to approve the first of these pipelines, the South Jersey Gas pipeline, which will go through Cumberland, Cape May and Atlantic Counties. The second pipeline, to be constructed by New Jersey Natural Gas, goes from Chesterfield (Burlington County) to Manchester (Ocean County) and will also come up for a vote before the Pinelands Commission.
Each county in the Pinelands has a representative on the Pinelands Commission appointed by that county’s Freeholder Board. Burlington County’s representative is Chair of the Commission, Sean Earlen.
Tell the Burlington County Freeholders that Sean Earlen should stand up for the county and vote NO on both pipelines. They violate the rules that protect the Pine Barrens and, they threaten the health and safety of its residents, and Burlington County residents will pay for the pipelines' costs without ever being able to use the gas for powering their homes.
Please sign by February 8 to maximize impact.