Deadline to intervene under FERC’s new docket # CP19-78 for PennEast is March 8 

FERC has issued its notice of PennEast’s application to amend the certificate because of minor route changes. Everyone is urged to re-intervene under the new docket number CP19-78. Late interventions after 5 PM, 3/8/19 will no longer be granted.

If you were an intervenor on the previous PennEast docket CP15-558 at FERC:

Log On to your FERC Account at: https://ferconline.ferc.gov/Login.aspx

When You Click Log-On, you will be taken to the FERC Online Home Page. Select “eFiling – Submit documents electronically”. Then follow the directions and screenshots in the linked instructions PDF below to intervene on the New Docket.

If you are a new Intervenor: Thank You!!

Go to the above link at FERC and click on “eRegister” in the left sidebar in blue. Follow instructions for opening an account. We encourage intervenors to have an email account dedicated to the PennEast docket at FERC as you will be receiving a LOT of email. When you have registered an account, log in and follow through the images below for intervening.

Why Should You Intervene?

Intervening gives you a special status at FERC. You could enter into a legal action on a FERC decision if you wanted (but you never have to). FERC is supposed to consider your comments to the docket if you are an intervenor. You have access to more information at FERC as an intervenor. And perhaps most importantly, the more intervenors on a docket, the more FERC, PennEast, and the many other federal and state agencies and industry representatives who are watching the docket know that the impacted communities are engaged and paying attention. We had an historic number of intervenors on the last docket. Let’s Do That Again!

Instructions on how to intervene online here
Intervenor-Instructions-CP19-78

PennEast Pipeline filed eminent domain claims for Baldpate Mountain on 1/29/19

On January 29, 2019 PennEast filed six eminent domain claims against preserved lands owned, or co-owned, by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection including three parcels on Baldpate Mountain in Hopewell and Horseshoe Bend Park in Frenchtown,

NJ. Read about why Baldpate is  a special place and potential PennEast Pipeline impacts.

BIRDERS SHOULD TAKE CARE IN REPORTING SENSITIVE SPECIES TO EBIRD OR BIRDING FORUMS.

Roosting owls are particularly vulnerable to disturbance.   Nesting eagles should not be approached too closely. The exact location of any nest of a threatened, or endangered species or a species of conservation concern should not be given.   However records of these birds are critical in conservation efforts.

WCAS and eBird developed a protocol for reporting sensitive species after roosting Long-eared Owls were harassed at the Pole Farm. The protocol suggests that the exact location not be reported and that the entry be delayed or hidden. Unfortunately, this protocol has broken down with the use of the eBird app. People report sightings in real time at the exact location. These sightings end up on eBird alerts. A delay of a week would keep the records off the eBird alerts.

e-Bird Guidelines for reporting sensitive species

I enter roosting owls after April 1.  The records are then available for conservation purposes but the owls have moved on. I prefer not to hide records because I rely on eBird records for conservation support and hidden records are not available for conservation. The best approach is to delay reporting to eBird using a general location but immediately report the exact location of the sighting to the NJ Fish and Wildlife Commission using the Rare Wildlife Sightings Form https://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/ensp/rprtform.htm .