Is it oil or natural gas?

by Miles Jackson, Staff Writer

Downe Twp.-- Is there oil or natural gas under the marshlands of Cumberland County?

Well, duh. Where there are marshlands anywhere in the world there is oil or natural gas beneath. This information is taught in Petroleum Geology 101.

In the 1920s, the well drilled in the marshland at Beaver Dam found gas.

That was one of the questions put forth at the meeting of the Citizens for Downe Township last Friday Night by Bernard Sayers, a founding member of the group.

Not only did I answer the question that night I also answered a whole lot more questions. I also asked a number of questions that haven't been answered in over 15 years.

Sayers said the Natural Lands Trust and Philadelphia Conservationists, Inc. two non-profit land trusts that own about 15,000 acres of tax-exempt land in the township, might be more interested in exploiting any oil or gas deposits under the land than they are in preserving the pristine environment of its surface.

The above sentence is totally incorrect.

I did not say that the Natural Lands Trust or the Philadelphia Conservations were interested in exploiting any oil or gas beneath land that they owned.

I said that one of the larger benefactors of the Natural Lands Trust was a Pew Family trust and the Pew Family gained its wealth through the Sun Oil Company.

The Pew Family at one time controlled the largest number of shares of Sun Oil Company. The family may still hold the largest single voting block of stock.

Simply put, members of the Pew family got their money from oil.

Some of the money the Pew family received from the oil company was invested in non-profit organizations which then purchased land which was finessed into a tax exempt status.

To support his opinion, Sayers produced article from Scientific American magazine that identified major oil companies as prime lobbyists in Washington on polices that protect wetlands. He also had a document that listed the Pew Trust, an organization closely identified with Sun Oil Company, as a major contributor to the Natural Lands Trust.

Think about all the marshland in Commercial Township owned by PSE&G.

Think about all the marshland in Downe Township owned by an organization which has connections to Sun Oil Company through an organization receiving money from a Trust controlled by the people who own considerable Sun Oil stock.

It almost makes one's head hurt.

Think about the 6,800 acres of Natural Lands Trust property which is tax exempt...but for which Downe Township is NOT receiving any PILOT funding.

Thinking about that should make one's wallet hurt.

Sayers produced a picture of a well he said once existed near Beaver Dam in the early part of the 20th century. Longtime township residents woho remember the well said its purpose was to probe for natural gas. They did not recall who operated the well, which they said was approximately 1,800 feet deep. Natural gas in quantities worth developing apparently was not found at that time, according to the residents.

The most important part of the above paragraph is the following: "Natural gas in quantities worth developing apparently was not found at that time..."

Read the important part again: "Quantities worth developing...at that time..."

In 1920 there was very little demand for gas and the price was low. There is a tremendous demand for gas in 2008.

Two independent petroleum geologists contacted by the News said natural gas and oil deposits do exist beneath the surface of most of the East Coast, but not in amounts to make extraction economically feasible.

The operative phrase in the above sentence is "...but not in amounts to make extraction economically feasible."

The words "at the present time" must be added.

The issue regarding PILOT funding or non-PILOT funding of tax exempt land in Downe Township boils down petroleum deposits under the marshland of Downe Township.

We, the taxpayers of Downe Township, are being taken by the laws of New Jersey which allow land to be made tax exempt without requiring PILOT funding for that land.

In Jean Jones' piece from the Bridgeton News, so aptly titled as "Is Downe getting gypped?", contained the following:

"Blizzard said when she checked with authorities, she found there was certain language that must be included in the deed for the township to be reimbursed for the loss of taxes."

"She intends to find out if that language can now be added to the existing deeds. "

Downe Township's Mayor Blizzard is on to something.

"The Newark Super Group is not a good source according to the data collected over several decades," Hobbs said. "The natural gas is contained in high risk 'red beds' that make it difficult to extract."

"difficult to extract" means DIFFICULT=EXPENSIVE.

The article I've quoted from was written over 15 years ago. The price of gasoline has doubled since the article was written.

"but not all are economically viable for commercial use" means "in today's market extraction costs may be too high to yield a profit against today's market. In a few more years of expensive petroleum prices things could change.

Hobbs said he could not predict whether New jersey's "red beds" would ever become economically viable, but the involvement of the Pew family in preserving the area's marshes is probably not do due to any oil and natural gas natural gas that lie beneath them.

Mr Hobbs, a geologist interviewed by the Bridgeton newspaper for the article, is not capable of predicting when extraction of Downe gas or oil could be economically viable BUT he is capable of knowing why the Pew family would choose to protect "any oil and natural gas natural gas that lie beneath" lands which they are investing in the very long-term protection--at absolute no tax cost to them.

The State of New Jersey and the people living within it are struggling financially. The people of Downe Township are struggling financially with the effects of 6,800 acres of tax-exempt land for which we are NOT receiving any PILOT funding. 

Please, Mayor Blizzard, call the hand of the Natural Lands Trust. Get them to deed restrict the 6,800 acres.

The Pew family and those wealthy enough to own petroleum company stock are planning for their children's children's future.

How about changing some unfair laws regarding tax exempt land and allowing the folks in Downe Township to plan for next month?

We need to fight the "Tax exemption without PILOT compensatory payments" and we need to begin the fight RIGHT NOW!

Come to the May committee meeting.

Let's listen to Mayor Blizzard explain what she has been able to negotiate with the Natural Lands Trust.

Bridgeton News Article by Miles Jackson, February 15, 1993