PSE&G Powerline Proposal Would Impact Delaware Water Gap, Appalachian Trail, and New Jersey Highlands

Issue in brief: 

Delaware Water Gap. Photo by Nick Zungoli.

PSE&G's 45-mile long Susquehanna-Roseland electric line will be built along an existing transmission route and is planned to pass through 15 different New Jersey municipalities. New transmission towers would be built next to the current 80 foot towers, but the new towers would rise to heights of almost 200 feet. The route of the proposed 500-kilovolt electric line will cut right through one of the state's most precious resources-the 860,000 acre Highlands Region as well as the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (pictured above) and the Appalachian Trail.

The Trail Conference opposes this powerline plan because of the devastating impact it would have on trails, open space, and views across New Jersey. 

Issue Updates & Background: 

 

UPDATES

July 30, 2010
National Park Service Releases New Set of Powerline Alternatives
Click here to read NPS newsletter.

July 29, 2010
National Park Service Sets August Public Meeting Dates on Powerline Project. Comment deadline is September 7.

Tuesday, August 17:
Fernwood Hotel and Resort, U.S. Route 209 North, Bushkill, PA 18324
Open House 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Public Hearing 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Stroudsmoor Country Inn - Terraview, RD #4, Stroudsmoor Road, Stroudsburg, PA 18360
Open House 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Public Hearing 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Thursday, August 19
Farmstead Golf and Country Club, 88 Lawrence Road, Lafayette, NJ 07848
Open House 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Public Hearing 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Click here for a PDF with full details.

April 28, 2010
Powerline Rally and Picnic at Water Gap Saturday, May 1
There will be speakers, a picnic (bring your lunch), and a walk to the Watergate picnic area. Find additional details on the SavethePark.org website.

April 22, 2010
NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection is currently accepting public comment on two of the permits that PSE&G needs to begin the project - the Flood Hazard Area Individual Permit and a Freshwater Wetlands Permit. The DEP will also hold a public hearing on Wednesday, April 28 to consider these permits, which address stormwater runoff, drinking water contamination, groundwater recharge, and habitat destruction; 6pm at Berkshire Valley Golf Course, 28 Cozy Lake Road, Jefferson, NJ. If you can't attend, but would like to comment, click here to go to a Sierra Club page where you can send your note electronically.

March 12, 2010
Appalachian Trail Conservancy comments to NPS. Click here.

February 17, 2010
Trail Conference Comments to NPS on PSE&G Plan. Click here for comments.

February 16, 17, 18
National Park Service scoping hearings set; first step in preparing Environmental Impact Statement. Click here for meeting details and suggested talking points.

February 11, 2010
NJ Board of Public Utilities Approves Project

BACKGROUND

The project's approval process includes:

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities: must give initial approval  of the project (it did 2/11/10)

The National Park Service: must prepare an Environmental Impact Statement on the project's iimpact on the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and the Appalachian Trail, a unit of the NPS (scoping hearings in Feb. 2010; comment deadline March 5, 2010)

The NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection: must decide if the electric line can be built through the Highlands Preservation area.

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Trail Conference Viewshed Analysis of entire Route B corridor

* Viewshed map 1 showing visual impact of current electric towers
* Viewshed map 2 showing visual impact of proposed towers
* Viewshed map 3 showing increase in visual impact only
* Map explanation

These maps were submitted to the NJ DEC and NJ Highlands Council as each decides whether to allow the project to move forward in the preservation and conservation areas respectively.

Description & History

 

current powerlines would be double the height. Photo by Daniel Chazin.
The powerlines visible in the lower left of the photo will be doubled in height and the corridor widened should the PSE&G plan be built.

PSE&G's 45-mile long Susquehanna-Roseland electric line will be built along an existing transmission route and is planned to pass through 15 different New Jersey municipalities. New transmission towers would be built next to the current 80 foot towers, but the new towers would rise to heights of almost 200 feet. The route of the proposed 500-kilovolt electric line will cut right through one of the state's most precious resources-the 860,000 acre Highlands Region.

PSE&G says the higher towers are designed to minimize electric and magnetic fields, and the proposed route minimizes the amount of vegetation that would have to be cut and crosses the smallest amount of forests and wetlands. The company says the $750 million line, scheduled for completion by 2012, is needed to avoid future power outages. Environmentalists and local municipalities disagree and believe the proposed transmission line poses many questions that must be answered before the project can begin to move forward.

PSE&G originally intended to work individually with each of the 15 municipalities that will host the transmission line. However, after much resistance from the municipalities and environmental groups, PSE&G changed its strategy and is now going directly to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and bypassing the municipalities altogether. This move has further outraged both the municipalities and the environmental groups that are vehemently questioning the need for this electric transmission line.

Because the PSE&G project traverses New Jersey's Highlands Region, the NJ DEP will need to determine whether or not to grant a special exemption for the transmission line.

The request would necessitate widening the existing right-of-way and constructing new access roads on National Park Service lands. The expanded line and new towers will impact three units of the National Park Service: the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (DEWA); the Middle Delaware National Scenic and Recreational River and National Recreation Water Trail; and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (AT). 

LINKS

National Park Service: Page for Powerline EIS Study

PSE&G's Susquehanna-Roseland Project page

NJ Highlands Council

NJ Highlands Coalition

Stop the Lines

 

Related News Links: 
TitleIssueLast Updatesort icon
Preliminary Alternatives Public Meeting Dates for the Susquehanna to Roseland Transmission Line Proposal and Right-of-Way RequesPSE&G Powerline Proposal Would Impact Delaware Water Gap, Appalachian Trail, and New Jersey Highlands07/29/2010
Environmental Groups turn to National Park Service to block powerline projectPSE&G Powerline Proposal Would Impact Delaware Water Gap, Appalachian Trail, and New Jersey Highlands02/13/2010
PSE&G gets OK to upgrade powerline across north JerseyPSE&G Powerline Proposal Would Impact Delaware Water Gap, Appalachian Trail, and New Jersey Highlands02/12/2010
BPU OKs power line that will cut through Sussex CountyPSE&G Powerline Proposal Would Impact Delaware Water Gap, Appalachian Trail, and New Jersey Highlands02/12/2010
National Park Service Sets Hearings on Powerline through Delaware Water Gap and Appalachian TrailPSE&G Powerline Proposal Would Impact Delaware Water Gap, Appalachian Trail, and New Jersey Highlands02/12/2010
NJ Powerline Push Gets OK from Board of Public UtilitiesPSE&G Powerline Proposal Would Impact Delaware Water Gap, Appalachian Trail, and New Jersey Highlands02/11/2010
Respond to: 
Talking points: 

 

Please go to the attachment below this section to review the latest alternative routes for the Susquehanna - Roseland power line. These should be reviewed prior to the August 17, 18, 19 hearings. 

Base on an initial review there are some points of concern for the planned Susquehanna Roseland power line project and its potential impact on the Kittatinny Ridge and Delaware River recreational and natural resources.

Most alternatives presented for this line have unacceptable components.
Below are some of our concerns:

Alternative 2; (The preferred route): Making "2" unacceptable is the impact from the access roads and resulting damage to sensitive ecological and historic sites. It would have significant impact on a number of trails and popular recreational sites in that area.


Alternative 3 - Yards Creek Alternative: Routing around the DWGNRA would result in 200 ft towers becoming very visible for many miles along the Appalachian National SCENIC, Kaiser, Garvey Spring and Rock Cores trails as well as other recreational sites in Worthington S. F. and along the Delaware River. At this time only 80 foot towers are barely noticeable. The new larger towers and access roads would present an unacceptable detraction from these recreational resources.

Alternative 4 would result in significant visual impact from the trails along the Kittatinny Ridge and would remain a visual problem for trails farther east. 

Alternative 5 following the I-80 corridor except where it skirts around the Delaware Water Gap area needs further assessment. 

 

  • The long term impact of this power line on the economy, ecological and historic sites of this Ridge and its environs, should be considered with care. Tourism is not a small part of the economy of the region.
  • It has been suggested that burying this section of the line is cost prohibitive, but have those costs been compared to the long term costs to the ecology and tourism? Burying a line has become an acceptable alternative when other power lines have been considered and should be in this case as well.
Sample Letter: 
AttachmentSize
DEWA_newsletter2_15july2010.pdf6.35 MB

Power Line Comment

On February 23rd, 2010 jgrob2 says:
I really have a problem making a firm stand for or against the PSE&G Electrric Power line going thru the NPS property. Yes, I would not like to see more towers and more trees cut down, new dirt roads (which bring in ATVs) etc. But I also want to turn my lights on when ever I want l. I do not want to pay larger rates because we force the utility to use some expensive technology or routing change that would require them to spend millions to purchase additional right of way and more expense because it is not a direct route.