PSE&G agrees to fund part of towns’ fight

Highlands towns fighting PSE&G’s proposed power line expansion from Western New Jersey to Essex County will be helped by the company itself.

PSE&G said Thursday it would set aside $300 million in escrow that Highlands municipalities can use toward their legal cases against the Susquehanna-Roseland project, which doubles the capacity of power lines along an existing right-of-way in the region, according to the Bergen Record.

The plan’s many critics say it would harm the environment and possibly human health and increase demand for dirty power at a time when the state is calling for increased renewables.

PSE&G will not fund the fights of private groups such as the Eastern Environmental Law Center – just towns, some of which had expressed concerns about the taxpayer cost of a long legal fight.

The company says the line upgrade, which would also raise the height of power towers, is necessary to deal with demand.

Hearings begin later this year.

Posted by Green Jersey on May 18th, 2009 | Filed in Uncategorized | Comment now »

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