Lautenberg questions New Jersey gas line following Connecticut blast

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) said Monday that a fatal explosion at an unfinished natural gas-fired power plant in Connecticut over the weekend underscores safety concerns about a proposed natural gas pipeline in New Jersey.

An explosion Sunday at the Kleen Energy Systems plant in Middletown, Connecticut killed at least five workers.

“This tragic incident reminds us that natural gas, while cleaner burning than other fossil fuels, comes with safety risks. The explosion raises a red flag about the construction of a natural gas line that would run through New Jersey primarily for the benefit of New York,” Lautenberg said in a prepared statement.

“This risky project should not be permitted so close to New Jersey’s chemical plants, Newark Liberty Airport and the area that terrorism experts call the most dangerous two miles in America. New Jersey should not bear the safety risk of a project that primarily benefits New York,” he added.

Lautenberg said he plans to meet with officials from Spectra Energy, which is the company planning the pipeline expansion through New Jersey, and federal officials to discuss his concerns.