As a member of the League of Women Voters of New Jersey, I am very concerned about the very limited joint Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Delaware River Basin Commission hearing on the PennEast pipeline. The League, as a good government organization invested in citizen participation, is requesting separate Delaware River Basin Commission and FERC hearings. Instead of only a single combination hearing, hearings should be scheduled in all seven impacted towns along the proposed pipeline route.
The League works to ensure full citizen participation and promotes a fair, transparent, and robust open public process. Joint FERC/DRBC hearings will not accomplish these goals. The residents along the pipeline route have a right to a reasonable amount of time to voice their views. Scheduling separate meetings in each of those seven communities is a sensible plan to ensure adequate resident participation.
In addition, because the DRBC and the FERC are different bodies with different missions, citizens should address the DRBC alone during the seven public hearings. In that way, speakers will have sufficient time to focus and explain their points of view.
Like the League of Women Voters, the DRBC has a responsibility regarding full public participation. Therefore, I call on the DRBC to reaffirm its commitment to public participation by scheduling the seven requested meetings.
Lorraine Sarhage
LWV of Monroe Township
