Ogdensburg residents question natural gas company

OGDENSBURG — Ogdensburg residents asked questions and received answers, July 13, during the Elizabethtown Gas public meeting. Elizabethtown Gas would like to provide natural gas to four of the most densely populated developments in Ogdensburg: Presidents, Glenbrook, Beardslee, and Bettino,
The Elizabethtown Gas Director of Sales, Gary Marmo, three independent contractors, and the N.J. Board of Public Utilities Clean Energy Office were available to answer questions.
Sparta Weichert Realtor Debra McGrath told the crowd, all things being equal, home buyers choose natural gas homes over propane or oil. She added, natural gas costs less, and buyers are used to it.
Residents interested in converting to natural gas are to complete an interest survey by August 15: surveymonkey.com/r/OgdensburgSurvey.
Some answers given by Marmo were: if there is not enough response in a development, Elizabethtown Gas could look at targeting certain areas in Ogdensburg; residents are allowed to pay the hookup fee if they wish, but the company tries to generate enough interest, thus, keeping the hookup charge free; and if a resident commits to converting their appliances to natural gas and does not, the company has the right to ask for the installation cost of the gas main to the resident's home.
Marmo continued, also, if a resident signs the contract and then sells their house, Elizabethtown Gas will first ask the new owners if they want to hook up to natural gas. If not, once again, the company reserves the right to ask for the cost of placing the natural gas main.
In response to other specific questions, Marmo explained, by law, Elizabethtown cannot run service to a house and leave it inactive for more than 12 months; even if the company were to run lines to all of around 800 Ogdensburg residents, there might still be a charge, depending on the layout of the town; removal of the oil tank is the homeowner's responsibility; once foreclosed houses are bought in developments, residents would have the option to convert to natural gas; and Elizabethtown cannot run service to a vacant property and leave it there live.
Depending on the work needed and efficiency rate of appliances converted, General Manager Dave Schneider of Fras-Air Service Experts said, the cost could range from $500 – to $15K.
It could cost $750 to remove an oil tank from a house, Schneider said, and a resident may not fill the tank with sand - it has to come out.
Schneider also explained, an oil furnace burns at an 80 percent efficiency factor, and natural gas burns at a 98.6 percent efficiency factor.
In addition, he answered, some contractors offer financing.
Mayor Steve Ciasullo commented the fire house and Borough Hall have seen a cost savings after converting to natural gas [the fire house] and the hall's natural gas generator.
In conclusion, Ciasullo said, the meeting may not be the last, based on what they learn.