PENNINGTON: NJDEP should reject PennEast application and protect my community

Andrew Martins, Managing Editor
To the editor,
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) needs to provide relief from the fear, anxiety and unease that is sweeping through both my own home, and my community due to illegal activity from the proposed PennEast pipeline.
I recently found out about PennEast’s permit application to NJDEP. I came home and shared the news with my husband Theodore, we were confused; PennEast was applying for permits on our land, despite the fact that we have granted them no permission to access it, nor any legal rights to it.
How can PennEast apply for these permits without any legal authority to do so? Are they trying to cheat the system? It’s clear PennEast doesn’t care about property owners’ rights, but do they care about the rule of law in New Jersey?
NJDEP has said PennEast’s application is deficient, and has repeatedly told PennEast that it will not consider any incomplete permit applications. PennEast has proven that either they do not care about that direction or they believe NJDEP will give them a free pass. In either case, it is now time for NJDEP to act.
PennEast has submitted illegal, incomplete permit applications for MY land. NJDEP must protect our property rights and our environment by immediately rejecting PennEast’s application.
NJDEP has strict state laws to uphold and is sworn to protect our air and water. I call on NJDEP to ensure that PennEast complies with all laws and regulations, including the rights of private property owners like myself.
Jill and Theodore Spiro
Pennington