Bill Text: NJ SR42 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges DEP to conduct thorough and thoughtful review of any proposed interstate oil pipeline.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-02-05 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Environment and Energy Committee [SR42 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-SR42-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator PATRICK J. DIEGNAN, JR.
District 18 (Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Urges DEP to conduct thorough and thoughtful review of any proposed interstate oil pipeline.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Senate Resolution urging the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to conduct a thorough and thoughtful review of any proposed interstate oil pipeline.
Whereas, Pilgrim Pipeline Holdings, LLC is proposing to construct two parallel interstate oil pipelines in New Jersey to transport crude oil and refined petroleum products across the State; and
Whereas, Construction of these pipelines would disturb environmentally sensitive areas, such as wetlands, critical habitat for endangered species, and preserved lands; and
Whereas, The proposed pipelines would also cut across rivers and through aquifers, putting at risk the drinking water supplies of dozens of municipalities and millions of residents if a spill or pipeline rupture were to occur; and
Whereas, The proposed pipelines would cross through densely populated residential areas near schools, hospitals, and businesses, raising health and safety concerns and potentially affecting property values; and
Whereas, Data from the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration shows that numerous serious incidents involving oil pipelines occur each year, and New Jersey is not immune to this risk; and
Whereas, The dangers posed by oil pipelines are particularly acute when these pipelines contain oil from North Dakota's Bakken shale formation, which is considered among the most explosive types of oil in the world; and
Whereas, The federal government generally does not play a role in the siting of interstate oil pipelines and, consequently, such projects are subject only to various reviews by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP); and
Whereas, The DEP's core mission is "the protection of the air, waters, land, and natural and historic resources of the State to ensure continued public benefit"; and
Whereas, In keeping with this mission, the DEP should carefully weigh all of the risks of any proposed pipeline to the health, safety, and welfare of the public, the environment, and the natural resources of the State; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:
1. This House urges the New
Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to conduct a thorough and
thoughtful review of any proposed oil pipeline in the State, and to carefully
weigh the risks of any proposed pipeline to the public health, safety, and welfare,
public drinking water supplies, the environment, and the natural resources of
the State.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the Governor and to the Commissioner of Environmental Protection.
STATEMENT
This resolution would urge the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to conduct a thorough and thoughtful review of any proposed interstate oil pipeline.
Pilgrim Pipeline Holdings, LLC is currently proposing to construct two parallel interstate oil pipelines in New Jersey to transport crude oil and refined petroleum products across the State. Construction of these pipelines would disturb environmentally sensitive areas, such as wetlands, critical habitat for endangered species, and preserved lands. The proposed pipelines would cut across rivers and through aquifers, putting at risk drinking water supplies. The pipelines would also cross through densely populated residential areas, raising health and safety concerns and potentially affecting property values.
Data from the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration shows that numerous serious incidents involving oil pipelines occur each year, and New Jersey is not immune to this risk. The dangers posed by oil pipelines are particularly acute when they contain oil from North Dakota's Bakken shale formation, which is considered among the most explosive types of oil in the world. The DEP, as the State agency in charge of reviewing these projects, should carefully weigh all of the risks of any proposed pipeline to the health, safety, and welfare of the public, public drinking water supplies, the environment, and the natural resources of the State.
