Judge gives PennEast access to lands in New Jersey
Wednesday, January 2, 2019
Last month, the PennEast Pipeline Company got a huge victory when a judge from the U.S. District Court of New Jersey ruled that it can access lands in New Jersey, both public and private, through eminent domain in order to conduct environmental surveys with the intention of showing that its planned 120-mile natural gas pipeline will not be a harm to the environment, according to CommunityNews.org.
Judge Brian Martinotti ruled that 136 property owners must give PennEast access to their land for the purpose of conducting surveys. His ruling also dismissed claims by the state attorney general’s office to block access to certain properties in which New Jersey has a conservation interest.
PennEast gained permission from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to build its pipeline in January 2018.
Learn more: CommunityNews.org > Judge hands PennEast victory in pipeline battle
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.