Several residents and an environmental organizer used the public-comment period to urge Somerset County commissioners to oppose the Northeast Supply Enhancement project (NESE) and a proposed Williams Transco compressor station known as CS‑206 in Franklin Township.

Linda Powell, who gave her address and identified herself as a resident of Franklin Township, asked the board to sign a resolution in support of the New Jersey Climate Superfund Act and to oppose NESE. She said NESE would place a gas-powered compressor station near an active quarry and within miles of thousands of homes and schools, and that the station’s pollutants would increase local health risks. “This project is not needed and is not in the public interest for residents of New Jersey,” Powell said.

Carol Keane, who described herself as an impacted property owner whose land borders the proposed CS‑206 site and as a member of the Franklin Township Task Force in opposition to NESE, told commissioners she represents the New Jersey Buddhist Vihara and Meditation Center, which abuts the site. Keane said the compressor would sit adjacent to active quarry operations and a Superfund site, and she expressed concerns about air, noise, water pollution, and threats to wetlands and cultural sites.

Stephen Mitchell of Somerville summarized technical concerns he said remained unresolved in the restarted application: he said Williams Transco’s proposal would put a 32,000‑horsepower compressor station in Franklin Township, add roughly 3.5 miles of connecting pipeline through Old Bridge Township, and install about 23 miles of pipeline under Raritan Bay to Rockaway, N.Y. He said the compressor station was projected to emit about 141,000 tons of CO2 per year and roughly 112 tons per year of other air pollutants including nitrogen oxides and benzene; he said recent company proposals attempted to rely on emissions-credit purchases rather than modifying the facility to meet New Jersey thresholds.

Charlie Cradaville, Central Jersey organizer for Food and Water Watch, handed the commission a draft resolution and urged commissioners to adopt a local resolution and to submit comments to state and federal authorities. Cradaville noted the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection will hold a public hearing on NESE and encouraged residents to participate in the hearing scheduled for the evening of Sept. 10.

Commissioner and director remarks: Commissioners did not adopt a new county resolution during the work session. When asked, the director said the county had passed a resolution on the topic previously and had submitted comments to regulators; she did not commit to adopting a new resolution immediately. No formal county action opposing NESE was recorded in the work session minutes; members of the public were encouraged to attend the DEP public hearing on Sept. 10 and to submit comments through the DEP process.

Background and local concerns cited by speakers: speakers raised potential risks they attributed to NESE and CS‑206 — increased local air and water pollution, risk of fires and explosions, disturbance of contaminated sediments during underwater pipeline work, degradation of wetlands and cultural sites, and disproportionate impacts on nearby communities. Speakers also stated that multiple municipalities had previously opposed the project.