Story and Photos By Jay Cook
MIDDLETOWN –Proponents for more reliable electric power service and citizens deeply concerned about its effects on their lives will both get to air their points of view at a highly anticipated public hearing.
On Jan. 25 at 7 p.m., Middletown High School North will be the host site for a public hearing overseen by the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) regarding the Monmouth County Reliability Project (MCRP), a $111 million transmission line proposal by Jersey Central Power & Light Co. (JCP&L).
Supervising the meeting on behalf of the OAL will be Judge Gail M. Cookson, one of 24 judges assigned to the Newark division of the government entity.
Middletown High School North was chosen to host the public hearing since it is one of the largest facilities within the possibly affected areas. The auditorium inside the school seats 725, with approximately 315 parking spaces on campus, according to the high school’s principal’s office.
An influx of traffic to the area on the evening of Jan. 25 is expected. Across the street from Middletown High School North is Tindall Park, which if necessary, logistically could serve as an overflow for parking.
Regarding the meeting itself, OAL public information officer and chief administrative officer Patrick Mulligan gave light to exactly what Cookson’s role will be at the public hearing.
“The judge is there as a referee just to make sure things progress without much fanfare or too many headaches,” he said.
At 7 p.m. on Jan. 25, Cookson is expected to call the meeting to order. There will most likely be sign-in sheets for all parties who wish to speak on the record for or against the MCRP. Chances are elected officials will be given the right to speak first, if they wish.
There is no time limit to the meeting itself, meaning it could last anywhere from one hour to upwards of four or five, Mulligan said. However, time limits may be imposed on speakers at the hearing. The length of those limits likely will not be known until Jan. 24, so Mulligan suggested speakers keep their comments “brief and short.”
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) will also be providing security on site for the public hearing.
The issue at hand is the MCRP, a nearly 10-mile long, 230-kV high-voltage transmission line connecting power substations from Aberdeen to Red Bank according to a 671-page petition filed to the BPU on Aug. 9. The line would travel along the NJ Transit North Jersey Coast Line commuter rail right-of-way through neighboring towns Hazlet, Holmdel and Middletown.
When that petition was filed to the BPU, it was immediately transferred to the OAL, which will be the initial decision-maker on whether or not the project continues. The OAL will make a choice for or against the MCRP, and then it will be up to the BPU to decide if they agree with that choice.
Since announcing the project to residents within 200 feet of the proposed corridor in late May of 2016, JCP&L has stood their ground on the importance for the project.
“For this project in particular, throughout the process we have held multiple opportunities to interact with the public,” said Stephanie Walton, a spokesperson for FirstEnergy – the Akron, Ohio-based parent company of JCP&L. “We had public meetings back in June and we have a public website and a hotline where folks can call in and have their questions addressed as well.”
That website, MonmouthReliability.com, has been logging JCP&L’s updates to the project’s status as the process has advanced. The webpage also discusses the benefits to the MCRP, provides a question-and-answer section, information about the communities involved and a contacts page.
With about a week until the public hearing, Walton said that the public utility is finalizing which representatives will speak on behalf of the company for the necessity of the project.
Walton also said that JCP&L plans to remain an open book to the public going forward.
“When built, it will provide additional reliability to 214,000 residential and commercial customers in Monmouth County,” she said. “It is an important project, and we’ll just continue to explain the need for the project and answer any questions from the administrative law judge or any questions throughout this regulatory process.”
Fighting the project on the home front is Residents Against Giant Electric (RAGE), a local Monmouth County grassroots group formed out of concerns over the MCRP’s effect on nearby towns.
President Rachael Kanapka, who has been a constant source of optimism for concerned residents, believes RAGE’s fight is stronger than ever.
“We all have an obligation, if you oppose this project, to go and make sure the judge hears from all of us,” Kanapka said. “We’re encouraging people obviously to attend – their presence is critical.”
As a public meeting, residents can put their views on the record with the OAL and BPU. RAGE has been working on an outreach program to try and engage as many residents as possible in Monmouth County who feel the MCRP would be detrimental.
Utilizing RAGE talking points, along with bringing young children to make the testimony personal, is a strategy the group plans to use on Jan. 25.
“I want the auditorium overflowing with people so that the judge sees that this project is not wanted and that this project is not needed,” Kanapka said.
Following a code of conduct and decorum at the public hearing is also key to ensuring a smooth evening.
The New Jersey Foundation for Open Government (NJFOG), a nonprofit organization that seeks transparency and accountability in all levels of state government, provided a few guidelines to public hearing protocol.
According to Walter Leurs, the vice president to NJFOG, the most important issue is that people need to show up and voice their opinions on the record.
He also believes following the set of rules by the presiding judge will improve the speed and effectiveness of the hearing.
“Know the rules and follow them,” Leurs said. “This is a hearing, so there’s going to be certain expectations of decorum and procedure. If there’s time limits, follow the time limits. If there’s places to sit, sit where you’re supposed to sit. When other people are speaking, don’t talk or interrupt.”
He also said that submitting written testimony on the record is just as – if not more effective – than speeding through the exact same statement in hand. Make sure to announce that written testimony is being added, and follow that up with a quick overview as to what it says.
Leurs warned against being redundant. If a resident shares the same beliefs as those who spoke before him, announce that, and then add in a personal sentiment.
“Shakespeare said that brevity is the soul of wit,” Leurs said. “So, when people are making their comments, get to the point – be succinct and be clear.”
