Risky Proposition

In August 2015, Pilgrim Pipeline Holdings, LLC submitted a permit application to the NYS Thruway Authority for two parallel pipelines, each up to 20 inches in diameter, that would run from Albany, NY to Linden, NJ. One pipeline would transport crude oil south while the other pipeline would carry refined products north. In total, the pipelines would cover some 170 miles, crossing Albany, Greene, Ulster, Orange, and Rockland counties. Much of route would use existing utility or highway rights-of-way, but additional tracts are required. Construction of the pipelines would include clearing at least 100’ for the ROW, trench excavation including blasting in rocky areas, stream erosion and significant forest fragmentation.

Many concerns about the environment and public health and safety have been raised. The path of the pipeline would cross or run adjacent to dozens of trails and public parks, including Sterling Forest and Harriman State Parks and the Catskill Park, as well as thousands of acres of protected land, including farmland, wetlands, wildlife habitat areas, and major drinking water sources. A complete map can be viewed here.

Pipeline spills release much larger amounts of oil than spills from any other mode of transport such as rail cars, barges and tankers. From 2004 to 2012, pipelines spilled three times the oil that oil trains did over the same period. These spills end up damaging property and polluting water and water supply systems.

The preliminary draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) that Pilgrim submitted to the Thruway Authority with its application indicates there is the potential for significant adverse environmental impacts associated with the construction and operation of the pipelines, including, but not limited to, impacts to hundreds of acres of forest, regulated water bodies and wetlands. After significant public outcry, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation was named a co-lead agency with the Thruway Authority.

A public comment period has not yet been announced, but nearly two dozen municipalities up and down the Hudson River have already passed resolutions in opposition. Let the Governor and other elected officials know the risks posed by the Pilgrim Pipelines far outweigh any benefits by expressing your concerns now through letters, phone calls and social media.