Gas pipeline project faces setback after court ruling
Credit: jotoya/Pixabay

Gas pipeline project faces setback after court ruling

A federal appeals court vacated the approvals for a New Jersey gas pipeline project, forcing a reassessment of its necessity and environmental impact.

Dana DiFilippo reports for New Jersey Monitor.


In short:

  • The U.S. Court of Appeals ordered the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reconsider the Regional Energy Access Expansion project.
  • Environmentalists and state officials argued the project is unnecessary and harmful, citing an independent study showing sufficient gas capacity in New Jersey until beyond 2030.
  • The court found the commission failed to consider the project's environmental impact, including significant greenhouse gas emissions.

Key quote:

“The record estimates enormous GHG emissions from the project for the next half century.”

— Judge J. Michelle Childs, U.S. Court of Appeals

Why this matters:

The ruling emphasizes the need for careful evaluation of energy projects to align with state policies on reducing greenhouse gases and ensuring consumer protection from unnecessary infrastructure costs.

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