JERSEY CITY, BAYONNE, AND HOBOKEN — Spectra Energy Corp. announced Monday that it filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the expansion of its Texas Eastern Transmission and Algonquin Gas Transmission interstate pipeline systems to transport natural gas to northern New Jersey and New York City.
However, Spectra, in their announcement, said the company will make changes to the route and put in enhanced safety measures to address concerns from residents of the Hudson County towns through which it runs. The changes include not going through residential properties, laying the pipes between 80 and 100 feet underground rather than parallel to the street, and patrolling the pipeline seven days a week.
The New Jersey-New York Project includes:
• Constructing approximately 15.5 miles of new pipeline, which will run through parts of Bayonne, Jersey City, and offshore Hoboken in New Jersey, as well as parts of Staten Island and Manhattan in New York;
• Replacing approximately five miles of pipeline in Linden, New Jersey, and Staten Island, New York; and,
• Modifying existing facilities in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
The pipeline is opposed by residents in Jersey City and Bayonne as well the mayors of both towns due to concerns about safety from a possible explosion, and proposed construction that could damage the infrastructure. Some downtown Jersey City residents created a website, NoGasPipeline.org, to state the problems with the pipeline and call for Spectra to completely re-route the pipeline to go underwater directly from Staten Island to Manhattan.
The project, if built, will cost an estimated $850 million and is expected to be in service in November 2013.- Ricardo Kaulessar