Members of the Princeton Council adopted a resolution this week to oppose an application by the Transcontinental Pipe Line Company (Transco) to modify the permit they received from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to construct the Skillman Loop. Transco seeks to eliminate a permit requirement that they use a technique called “horizontal directional drilling” to tunnel under wetlands and steams in neighboring Montgomery Township. The company proposes instead to “trench” through these sensitive habitats, a technique known to cause far more environmental damage.
The resolution highlights concerns over the loss of wetlands and the increased potential for flooding and water degradation. Additionally, the resolution notes that “Transco has also caused noise pollution and violated Princeton and Montgomery’s rules on permitted hours of operation.”
“The Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association would like to thank the Princeton Council for its leadership on this important issue,” said Jim Waltman, executive director of the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association. “We are grateful that Princeton’s leaders have spoken out against Transco’s proposal, which would damage important environmental resources for 1,200 feet of unnecessary pipeline.”
A public hearing on Transco’s request will be held by NJ DEP on Thursday, February 11 at:
Montgomery Upper Middle School
375 Burnt Hill Road
Skillman, NJ 08558
The Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to keeping Central New Jersey’s water clean, safe and healthy. Founded in 1949, the Watershed Association protects and restores water and the environment through conservation, advocacy, science and education.
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