The DRBC gave public notice, and had an Environmental Assessment done, for a project in Gibbstown, NJ, then approved a much larger project without adequate public notice and a new Environmental Assessment. The approved project includes an LNG port, which could be used for the export of natural gas.

In her letter to the DRBC, DCS Director Barbara Arrindell calls out this bait and switch and demands a hearing to reconsider this approval (see below).

Download Director Arrindell’s letter to the DRBC as a pdf.

August 7, 2019

DRBC Director Steve Tambini and Counsel Pam Bush
Delaware River Basin Commission
P.O. Box 7360, West Trenton, NJ 08628-0360

Dear Mr. Tambini and Ms. Bush,

DRBC was not provided with a proper updated Environmental Assessment document and the public was not given proper notice when the DRBC approved the Gibbstown LNG port project (Delaware River Partners, LLC (NJ) Gibbstown Logistics Center Dock 2, D-2017-009-2) at its June meeting, When DRBC approved the Gibbstown LNG port project it was approving a drastically larger project than had been previously been released to the public. Details of the much larger plan include going from one dock with one berth to two docks with three berths and according to a verbal DRBC description of the docket, that “…Dock 2 will support the transloading of a variety of bulk liquid products, including butane, isobutane, propane (collectively liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG), liquefied natural gas (LNG), and ethane.”

Since notice of changes to the project was given only via a verbal statement by DRBC staff, this verbal statement does not meet the DRBC’s requirement that “adequate notice” of at least 10 days be given of any “consequential addition” to cargo that the applicant is planning to export. These changes to the project are being made after the Environmental Assessment was completed. This bait and switch procedure eliminated the public and DRBC’s opportunity for fully knowledgeable input on the much larger project as it is now planned.

In making the June decision to permit the Gibbstown LNG export terminal, DRBC was in error – it did not adequately consider the environmental and health impacts it is required to consider.

We demand a hearing to reconsider this decision.

Sincerely yours,

Barbara Arrindell
Director
Damascus Citizens for Sustainability

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