DEC Announces Scoping Document for LPG Underground Storage near Seneca Lake

Just a bit over two months ago my colleague Peter Mantius wrote about the intent of industry to turn salt mines adjacent to Seneca Lake into LPG storage caverns. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), as Lead Agency for the Finger Lakes liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) storage project, has determined that the scope of the proposed action and its potential for significant adverse environmental impacts is such that a draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (DSEIS) should be prepared. A Draft Scoping Outline for the DSEIS is available for review here - but if you want to comment, you'll need to hurry. Comments are due by the end of the month.

Finger Lakes LPG Storage, LLC proposes to construct and operate a new underground liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) storage facility for the storage and distribution of propane and butane on a portion of a 576 acre site located on NYS Routes 14 and 14A west of Seneca Lake in the Town of Reading, New York. The storage facility will utilize existing caverns in the Syracuse salt formation created by US Salt and its predecessors' salt production operations. 

As proposed, a maximum of 2.10 million barrels (88.20 million gallons) of LPG will be stored in these caverns seasonally, displacing some of the brine currently filling them, and will be withdrawn by displacement of propane by brine when demand occurs during the heating season and displacement of butane by brine during the gasoline blending season. During storage operations, the brine displaced by LPG will be stored and contained in a 14 acre lined surface impoundment with a capacity of 2.19 million barrels (91.98 million gallons) on the hillside immediately east of the junction of Routes 14 and 14A. 

The facility will connect to the existing Teppco LPG interstate pipeline, and will ship LPG by truck via NYS Routes 14/14A and rail to the existing Norfolk and Southern Railroad. As proposed, the project involves construction of a new rail and truck LPG transfer facility, consisting of a 6 rail siding capable of allowing loading/unloading of 24 rail cars within 12 hours, and a truck loading station capable of loading 4 trucks per hour. The rail/truck loading facility is capable of being operated on a 24 hour basis 365 days a year. Construction will also include surface works consisting of truck and rail loading terminals, LPG storage tanks, offices and other distribution facilities, and stormwater control structures. 

A draft scope is available for review and written comment by involved and interested agencies and the public. Copies of the draft scope can be obtained from the contact person listed below and on the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) website at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6061.html. The end of the comment period on the draft scope is January 31, 2011.

For more information about this please contact David L. Bimber at 585-225-3401 or dlbimber@gw.dec.state.ny.us.