Newsletter: Fall Greetings from EELC

Greetings to all of our friends and supporters. Much has happened since I wrote you last. I have been heartened to see New Jersey pass the Clean Energy Act of 2018 and commit to a 2019 Energy Master Plan that would lay out a pathway to 100% clean energy for New Jersey by 2050.   We have also […]

Green Acres Land Cannot be Traded Into Private Ownership for Historic Objects

The New Jersey Appellate Division affirmed, with modification, the approval of a Green Acres land swap in I/M/O Seaside Heights Borough Public Beach, July 30, 2018.  Litwin & Provence LLC and Eastern Environmental Law Center represented the American Littoral Society (ALS) and the New Jersey Conservation Foundation (NJCF), who appealed the June 2016 New Jersey […]

Environmental Groups & Legislators Warn of Kavanaugh’s Environmental Record

EELC senior staff attorney Jenn Danis joined NJ Senators Booker & Menendez and others to discuss the detrimental effects a Judge Kavanaugh Supreme Court nomination could have on the environment. In Brick, NJ, an area hard hit by Hurricane Sandy, Danis spoke on behalf of The Watershed Institute and NJ Conservation Foundation about Kavanaugh’s environmental record on the US […]

EELC submits legal comments to FERC detailing flaws in pipeline approval policies

EELC submitted legal comments yesterday on behalf of clients New Jersey Conservation Foundation (NJ Conservation), The Watershed Institute and Sierra Club to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in response to the federal agency’s request for comments on its gas pipeline certificate policy, which was last updated in 1999. The purpose of the comments was to urge FERC to […]

Victory for the environment: Williams withdraws NESE pipeline application from NJDEP

EELC is celebrating its victory for the environment: On June 14, 2018, Williams/Transco withdrew its Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) pipeline application from the NJDEP. Franklin Township’s Mayor, ​Phil Kramer celebrated the victory too, but said, “The Fight isn’t over yet.” On behalf of its clients, Central Jersey Safe Energy Coalition, Princeton Manor Homeowners Association, Food & Water […]

New York State Denies NESE Water Permit

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (“NYDEC”) today denied Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company’s (“Transco”) application for Water Quality Certification for its Northeast Supply Enhancement Project (“NESE”) due to incomplete information. According to the NYDEC’s statement, the application was not only incomplete, the materials submitted raised serious environmental concerns as well. EELC is […]

EELC Spring Letter to Supporters

Happy Spring! First, I’d like to thank all our supporters again for helping us make 2017 a year in which we were able to bring our work on clean energy and pipelines to a national level and expand our representation of New Jersey’s environmental organizations and community groups in our other priority areas: environmental justice […]

NJDEP Challenges FERC Certificate for PennEast

UPDATE (February 20, 2018): In an unprecedented move NJDEP, in agreement with EELC’s position, has asked FERC to reverse its decision to issue a conditional certificate to PennEast due to “woefully insufficient data”. — On behalf of clients New Jersey Conservation Foundation  and Stony Brook–Millstone Watershed Association, EELC today filed a request with the Federal […]

NJDEP to PennEast: Pipeline Denied

In a strongly worded letter to PennEast, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection denied a freshwater wetlands permit sought by the pipeline company.  The Conditional Certificate that FERC recently issued for PennEast clearly states that the pipeline can’t proceed without permits from NJDEP. Tom Gilbert, campaign director, New Jersey Conservation Foundation said, “PennEast wants […]

Judge Denies Ramapo Polo Club’s Injunction Against Ramapoughs

A Superior Court judge just gave a significant win to EELC and its client, the Ramapough Mountain Indians. In an Order signed on December 15, the Court denied the neighborhood Polo Club residents’ request for a restraining order preventing the Ramapoughs from using their own land for prayer and cultural assembly. This involves the ongoing dispute […]

EELC Brings Constitutional Challenge Against FERC’s Use of Eminent Domain

According to the 5th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, “private property [shall not] be taken for public use, without just compensation.” Unfortunately for hundreds of homeowners and organizations, FERC is allowing pipeline companies to seize land unlawfully.   In a precedent-setting challenge, on behalf of NJ Conservation Foundation, EELC and Columbia Environmental Law Clinic filed a complaint charging FERC with permitting companies […]