‘It’s not worth the noise, air pollution and noxious smells a fracked gas compressor will bring to West Milford’

It’s important that we unpack the claim that Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company (TGP) would bring job opportunities to local residents through their “East 300 Upgrade” proposal to build new fracked gas compressors in Wantage and West Milford.

Construction would begin in March 2022 and be completed by November of the same year, anticipating an average workforce of up to 40 people for eight months.

TGP says that half of these jobs will be sourced from within New Jersey, but this is hard to believe when we consider TGP’s last North Jersey pipeline project.

In 2011, I and other local residents observed that most of the workforce and equipment were brought in from outside the state.

Once the facility is online, one permanent operations person will be hired to be onsite during regular business hours and monitored remotely from an office in Texas when no personnel is onsite.

One season of construction jobs for mostly out-of-staters does not outweigh the economic, safety and health risks these facilities bring to West Milford residents and surrounding towns.

It’s not worth the noise, air pollution and noxious smells a fracked gas compressor will bring to West Milford.

Leaks can pollute our drinking water supplies and blowdowns will impact our air.

None of this gas will even be used in New Jersey.

I am not anti-union. I am against a project that will become a burden on taxpayers and endanger first responders.

When will union leadership recognize that the source of good jobs is in the clean renewable energy sector?

We can have union jobs without destroying the environment and property values.

It’s imperative that West Milford pass the resolution against this dangerous project as soon as possible.

Luke Slott, Director

Sustainable West Milford