Jersey City Activists Opposing Spectra Energy’s Natural Gas Pipeline Launch New Website
By Jon Whiten • Aug 20th, 2010 • Category: Blog, News
Back in February, as news of Spectra Energy’s proposal to run a natural gas pipeline extension through Jersey City was first becoming known, longtime Downtown Jersey City resident and activist Dale Hardman, along with several other concerned citizens, set up a Google Group website designed to provide information raising concerns about the plan.
In the months that have followed, the pipeline proposal has quickly grown into one of the biggest and most contentious issues of the year, as evidenced by the hundreds of people who turned out at the recent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) hearing. So the activists yesterday launched a standalone website, NoGasPipeline.org, in an effort “to stop Spectra Energy’s natural gas pipeline planned route through Jersey City.”
The site was created by Hardman and Jersey City web designer Stephen Musgrave, who first met at a Harsimus Cove Neighborhood Association meeting where the pipeline was being discussed.
“Dale and I agree on stopping this pipeline through Jersey City,” Musgrave says. “And since I build websites professionally I said let’s put our backgrounds together to do this for the benefit of us all in Jersey City.”
They say the group is seeking 501(c)3 nonprofit status, and, in addition to helping inform concerned residents, its main goal is pressing the city to officially take on legal intervener status, which they believe may be the only way to stop the pipeline.
“We must stop Spectra Energy from bringing their pipeline through Jersey City as the risks are too great, due to toxins that are released and become airborne, and pipeline explosions,” Hardman says. “I met Stephen and we decided to build a website integrated with Facebook, Twitter and other social media that will seek to galvanize residents, the mayor’s office and New Jersey state and regional agencies to seek formal intervener status which is the only legal basis this project can be stopped coming through Jersey City.”
In other pipeline news, today is the last official day to submit letters to FERC during its “Pre-Filing” scoping period, although FERC officials said at the August 4 meeting that they will continue to accept public comments until Spectra files its formal proposal, which is expected to happen in December. Then there will be another public comment period, on Spectra’s actual proposal.
To submit a letter, click here; you will have to reference Docket #PF10-17.
Photo: Steve Gold
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Jon Whiten is the founding editor of the Jersey City Independent; he now works for a public-policy nonprofit in Trenton.
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