Mar 22, 2021
As the world tries to break free of the shackles of fossil fuel, another link in the chain is trying to be forged with the creation of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal on the Delaware River in Gibbstown, NJ. The plans were approved by the Delaware River Basin Commission but a number of state and federal permits for the project are being challenged in court. Environmentalists have contested the plans and sent petitions to four governors, citing the impact on climate change and the danger of huge "bomb trains" carrying LNG across Philadelphia and South Jersey.
Promoting fracking in Pennsylvania and exposing NJ residents to the risks of LNG shipping is in direct contradistinction to the espoused environmental protections by Governor Murphy's office.
Natural gas is marketed as clean but only produces 30% less carbon dioxide than oil and 45% less than coal. Promoting fracking in Pennsylvania and exposing NJ residents to the risks of LNG shipping is in direct contradistinction to the espoused environmental protections by Governor Murphy's office. In addition to the environmental dangers of increasing carbon dioxide output, the proposed site for the $450 million port is a former DuPont dynamite manufacturing plant which is already heavily contaminated. The process of dredging and construction will release more toxins like PCB's into the local environment.
Many of the people facing these threats already live in environmental justice communities with multiple and overlapping exposures. Gibbstown which is directly across from the Philadelphia International Airport occupies one of the most industrialized strips of the Delaware River. The gas would be shipped from Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale to 200 miles south down I-95 by truck and/or rail through some of the most densely populated areas of the East Coast to Gibbstown. The safety of such transport is questionable at best which was opened up by an executive order by the Trump administration last summer though 15 state attorneys general (including PA, NJ, and DE) are currently challenging the move.
Indoor air quality is also impacted by natural gas use which has an additive effect on health. The most vulnerable including children, pregnant women, the elderly, and those with lung or heart problems are at greatest risk but everyone breathes so everyone can be affected. Natural gas, which for now is cheaper, is also being disproportionately used in lower income, less well-ventilated homes, placing the economically disadvantaged in harm's way.
Meanwhile, cities and towns across the US are writing building codes so that new homes and offices would be blocked from using natural gas and would rely on heat pumps and electric kitchen stoves instead. The American Gas Association has been campaigning to prohibit new local ordinances as have numerous other distributors and companies, clawing for self-preservation. While they have been trying to get politicians in their pocket with the promise of more taxes and job openings, there is no attempt to compare outcomes if similar resources were put into the creation of clean energy alternatives. Worse is that, once created, the infrastructure for this dirty energy will be around for decades resulting in even more environmental damage and higher cost.
As renewables become cheaper, more readily available, and more attractive, LNG will become a less and less attractive energy source. Several European companies who had expressed interest in the gas have backed out both because of regulation and public pressure. The gas trafficked through the Gibbstown terminal will not be used in NJ homes but rather will be shipped overseas. Instead, New Jersey will be rely on a large offshore wind farm to reach its goal of complete renewable energy use by 2050.
We need to invest in our energy future by contacting our representatives and expressing our concern, not only over the immediate danger of the project, but also over the long term impact of climate damage. Creation of a gas export terminal is a backward-looking, short-sighted, risky project for NJ and the region.
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Wakati ulimwengu unajaribu kujikomboa kutoka kwa minyororo ya mafuta ya mafuta, kiungo kingine katika mlolongo unajaribu kufanywa na uundaji wa terminal ya usafirishaji wa gesi ya asili ya kioevu (LNG) kwenye Mto Delaware huko Gibbstown, NJ. Mipango hiyo ilikubaliwa na Tume ya Bonde la Mto Delaware lakini vibali kadhaa vya serikali na serikali kwa mradi huo vinapingwa mahakamani. Wanaharakati wa mazingira wamepinga mipango hiyo na kutuma maombi kwa magavana wanne, wakitaja athari kwa mabadiliko ya hali ya hewa na hatari ya "treni kubwa za mabomu" zinazobeba LNG kupitia Philadelphia na Jersey Kusini. "Kukuza fracking huko Pennsylvania na kuwafunua wakazi wa NJ kwa hatari za usafirishaji wa LNG ni kinyume cha moja kwa moja na ulinzi wa mazingira ulioungwa mkono na ofisi ya Gavana Murphy. """ Gesi ya asili inazinduliwa kama safi lakini inazalisha kaboni dioksidi 30% chini ya mafuta na 45% chini ya makaa ya mawe. "Kukuza fracking huko Pennsylvania na kuwafunua wakazi wa NJ kwa hatari za usafirishaji wa LNG ni kinyume cha moja kwa moja na ulinzi wa mazingira ulioungwa mkono na ofisi ya Gavana Murphy. """ Kwa kuongezea hatari za mazingira za ongezeko la uzalishaji wa kaboni dioksidi, eneo lililopendekezwa kwa bandari ya $ 450 milioni ni kiwanda cha zamani cha utengenezaji wa dynamite cha DuPont ambacho tayari kimeharibiwa sana. Ujenzi wa viwanda vya kupasua maji na kuondoa PCBs katika mazingira ya eneo hilo. Watu wengi wanaokabiliwa na vitisho hivi tayari wanaishi katika jamii za haki za mazingira na mfiduo mwingi na unaofanana. Gibbstown ambayo ni moja kwa moja kinyume na Uwanja wa Ndege wa Kimataifa wa Philadelphia inachukua moja ya mistari ya viwanda zaidi ya Mto Delaware. Gesi hiyo itasafirishwa kutoka shale ya Marcellus ya Pennsylvania hadi kilomita 200 kusini chini ya I-95 kwa lori na au reli kupitia baadhi ya maeneo yenye watu wengi zaidi ya Pwani ya Mashariki hadi Gibbstown. Usalama wa usafirishaji huo ni wa kutiliwa shaka, ambao ulifunguliwa na amri ya mtendaji ya utawala wa Trump majira ya joto iliyopita, ingawa mawakili wakuu wa majimbo 15 (ikiwa ni pamoja na PA, NJ na DE) kwa sasa wanapinga hatua hiyo. Ubora wa hewa ya ndani pia huathiriwa na matumizi ya gesi ya asili ambayo ina athari ya kuongeza kwa afya. Watu walio hatarini zaidi, ikiwa ni pamoja na watoto, wanawake wajawazito, wazee, na wale walio na matatizo ya mapafu au moyo, wako katika hatari kubwa, lakini kila mtu anapumua, kwa hivyo kila mtu anaweza kuathiriwa. Gesi ya asili, ambayo kwa sasa ni ya bei nafuu, pia inatumiwa kwa kiasi kikubwa katika nyumba zenye mapato ya chini, zisizo na uingizaji hewa mzuri, na kuwaweka watu walio katika hali mbaya ya kiuchumi katika hatari. Miji na miji kote Marekani inaandika kanuni za ujenzi ili nyumba mpya na ofisi ziweze kuzuia matumizi ya gesi ya asili na badala yake kutegemea pampu za joto na jiko la jikoni la umeme. Shirika la Gesi la Marekani limekuwa likifanya kampeni ya kupiga marufuku maagizo mapya ya mitaa kama vile wasambazaji wengine wengi na makampuni, wakijaribu kujihifadhi. Wakati wamejaribu kuwaingiza wanasiasa katika mfuko wao kwa ahadi ya ushuru zaidi na nafasi za kazi, hakuna jaribio la kulinganisha matokeo ikiwa rasilimali sawa zingewekwa katika uundaji wa mbadala safi wa nishati. "Kitu kibaya zaidi ni kwamba, mara tu itakapotengenezwa, miundombinu ya nishati hii chafu itadumu kwa miongo kadhaa ikisababisha uharibifu zaidi wa mazingira na gharama ya juu zaidi. """ Kwa kuwa nishati mbadala inakuwa nafuu, inapatikana kwa urahisi, na kuvutia zaidi, LNG itakuwa chanzo cha nishati kisicho na kuvutia. Kampuni kadhaa za Ulaya ambazo zilikuwa zimeonyesha upendezi katika gesi hiyo zimerudi nyuma kwa sababu ya udhibiti na shinikizo la umma. Gesi inayosafirishwa kupitia kituo cha Gibbstown haitatumika katika nyumba za New Jersey bali itasafirishwa nje ya nchi. New Jersey inatarajia kuanzisha shamba kubwa la upepo la pwani ili kufikia lengo lake la kutumia nishati mbadala kabisa ifikapo 2050. """Tunahitaji kuwekeza katika siku zijazo za nishati kwa kuwasiliana na wawakilishi wetu na kuelezea wasiwasi wetu, sio tu juu ya hatari ya haraka ya mradi, lakini pia juu ya athari za muda mrefu za uharibifu wa hali ya hewa." Kuundwa kwa kituo cha usafirishaji wa gesi ni mradi wa nyuma, wa muda mfupi, wa hatari kwa NJ na mkoa. Sisi ni watu wenye matumaini ambao tunaamini katika nguvu ya wananchi wenye habari na waliohusika kuamsha na kutekeleza mabadiliko ili kufanya ulimwengu uwe mahali pazuri. Sisi ni mamia ya maelfu ya nguvu, lakini kila msaidizi mmoja hesabu. Mchango wako unaunga mkono mtindo huu mpya wa vyombo vya habari - huru, huru, na kujitolea kufunua ukweli. Simama pamoja nasi katika mapambano ya haki ya kijamii, haki za binadamu, na usawa. 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