Beck and Kyrillos Oppose Giant Power Lines
Senators Joe Kyrillos and Jennifer Beck announced this morning that they have introduced three resolutions in State Senate in opposition to the JCP&L project known as the Monmouth Reliability Project.
The project would drive a 230-kV transmission line on 140-foot-tall monopole towers on a nearly 10-mile path from Aberdeen to Red Bank, cutting through Hazlet, Holmdel, Middletown and across the Navesink River with sight exposure to Fair Haven and Rumson.
“This project is no more welcome today than it was 25 or more years ago when JCP&L shelved it due to the blistering public opposition and other available options,” said Kyrillos. “Once again, we are calling on other federal and state regulatory agencies and officials to work with us to address the significant local concerns that have been raised by residents and to develop a reasonable alternative.”
The three resolutions urging opposition to the project are directed at:
- the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU), the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), New Jersey Transit, and Governor Chris Christie;
- the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC); and
- Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, and New Jersey’s delegation to the House of Representatives.
“Our steadfast opposition to this project is echoed by thousands of Monmouth County residents who have been clear, consistent and reasoned in expressing why this project might work in Akron, Ohio, but is unacceptable here. We will reach out directly to the various organizations and officials who will determine whether this project moves forward,” said Beck. “We support increasing the reliability of our electric grid, but believe there are viable alternatives that could achieve that.”
She claims she believes there are viable alternatives. OK, will you stop keeping us in the dark and tell us what you believe they are?
I guess she is making a name for herself for her upcoming election in about a year.
You meant the SEVENTEEN other alternatives that JCP&L claimed it examined but hasn’t actually given any details about? This whole plan stinks and Monmouth County is happy that Beck, Kyrillos, and a majority of other politicians seem to be on the side of the residents that will be impacted by this terrible plan.
Thank You Senators Kyrillos and Beck … There are many controversies surrounding the negative impacts of high voltage transmission lines through residential areas. The fact that NJ is THE MOST DENSELY POPULATED state, coupled with the fact that the power industry has successfully controlled a NO STANDARD criteria from policy makers emphasizes an arrogant and negligent disregard of public safety, health and welfare. The mere mention of ‘public good’, ‘reliability’, and ‘need’ have become synonomous with an approved violation of private citizens rights merely to protect the profits of our existing public utilities rather than the protection of the original intent of safety, health and welfare. The need for kilowatts in Monmouth County has nothing to do with this PJM mandate for this proposed transmission line. It needs to be stopped.
Actually there are more than 17 options. Seventeen are only the possible routes, which JCP&L so quickly rejected in their application. There are also other technology options. For example, PSE&E is currently burying a 230-Kv line for over 20+ miles. There are many other viable technical options as well. LAStly, in JCP&L’s very own filing, they state that power consumption in Monmouth County has gone down for the last 5 years time. The VAST majority of our outages are with the old and ignored distribution plant, not with the transmission lines at all.