Above Ground Gas Regulators Draw Official Ire

Officials say it's unsightly, presents a pedestrian hazard, and has the potential to disrupt decades of revitalization efforts in Red Bank.

The villain in question: an above ground gas regulator.

Sitting above ground outside of a , the approximately two-foot tall collection of pipes, valves, and wires is alone among gas regulators, a cyst on an otherwise unblemished sidewalk. Soon, however, the out-of-place regulator will be joined by as many as 88 others if New Jersey Natural Gas follows through on its downtown regulator replacement plan.

At a press conference held in front of the gas regulator, officials discussed the utility company's unwillingness not only to compromise on their plan to replace underground regulators with above ground ones, but their complete lack of transparency about the process, too.

State Sen. Jennifer Beck, R-11, a Red Bank resident, said NJNG had employed "secrecy" when it came to the decision to replace gas regulators. When asked by the borough to provide details about regulator inspections over the years - the determining factor for the replacement - and possible alternatives to the above ground rigs, Beck said NJNG refused to cooperate.

The refusal to cooperate, Beck said, casts doubt on their assurances that they've done their due diligence in considering other options.
"They have admitted that there are alternatives to the current plan but will no discuss what those options are or why they were not chosen," Beck said. "You don't see these devices placed as prominently, or in as great a number, very often in the downtown district of a busy municipality."

The above ground regulators would replace ones currently below ground that are only accessible through steel plates in the sidewalk. NJNG, according to borough officials, say the below ground regulators present access problems and are a safety hazard as they are more prone to corrosion and failure. The gas utility, however, has not provided the borough with any evidence as to this claim.

The issue first raised Red Bank Mayor Pat Menna's hackles last year when the regulator replacement plan first came up. Now, Beck has promised to make the local issue a state one.

During Thursday's scheduled legislative session, Beck said she intends to introduce a bill that would direct the Board of Public Utilities to require gas utilities to study less disruptive locations for regulatory devices. The bill would also require gas utilities to make the study public and to return any disrupted property and infrastructure to its original condition.

One of the primary concerns is the aesthetic of downtown Red Bank. Both Nancy Adams, director of Red Bank RiverCenter, and Ed Zipprich, a borough councilman, said the above ground regulators clash with the downtown's historic appearance.

According to Red Bank Business Administrator Stanley Sickles, NJNG has been less than forthcoming with details as to why the replacement is necessary. The utility says below grade installations are unsafe because of corrosion and potential failures. The existing vaults are also located under the sidewalk, beneath steel plates that are often loose and could be tripped on by pedestrians.

The regulators were installed about 20 years ago and have been inspected every three years, NJNG told the borough. When officials asked when deterioration began to appear and on how many regulators, and if any regulators had been replaced over the years, the utility failed to provide any information.

It is the position of the borough that the above ground regulators are subject to tampering, damage from impact, damage from abuse, and direct exposure to the effects of snow, ice and rain.