Pipe Dreams

On Friday, April 22 officials from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced the denial of the Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification for the proposed Constitution Pipeline. Their reason: these certificates fail to meet New York State's water quality standards. You can read the full decision, outlined in a letter by John Ferguson, Chief Permit Administrator here (pdf).

The Constitution pipeline, a partnership between Williams Partners, Cabot Oil and Gas, Piedmont Natural Gas and WGL Holdings, was approved by FERC in December 2014. The proposed pipeline would transport gas from Susquehanna County, PA to Schoharie County, NY along a 124-mile route. In NY, Constitution proposed nearly 99 miles of new right-of-way for the 30-inch diameter pipeline, rather than co-locating within existing rights-of-way.

Stream bank clearing for pipelines harms trout habitat

DEC told the media that the agency had requested “significant mitigation measures” to limit impact on the 251 streams along the route. Many of those streams are unique and sensitive ecological areas, including trout spawning streams, old-growth forest, and undisturbed springs, which provide vital habitat and are key to the local ecosystems.

In addition, DEC requested that Constitution provide a “comprehensive and site-specific analysis of depth for pipeline burial to mitigate the project's environmental impact”. According to DEC’s announcement last week, Constitution failed to do this, providing only limited analysis for 21 of the 250 streams. The problem, notes DEC, is that pipes not buried deep enough can become exposed, and any action to correct problems could further affect streams and water quality. 

On Monday, April 25 Constitution Pipeline Company accused DEC of making “flagrant misstatements” and “inaccurate allegations” in defense of its permit denial. In a statement to the press, the pipeline company said DEC’s decision “appears to be driven more by New York State politics than by environmental science”

The company claims that they worked closely with DEC staff for more than three years to make sure that water quality concerns would be adequately addressed. “Completely contrary to NYSDEC’s assertion, we provided detailed drawings and profiles for every stream crossing in New York, including showing depth of pipe.  In fact, all stream crossings were fully vetted with the NYSDEC throughout the review process.” You can read their entire statement here.

DEC Seeks Public comments on Constitution Pipeline

Today the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation announced it is seeking public comments on the Draft State Permit Applications for proposed construction of the Interstate Constitution Pipeline. Public comments will be accepted through Jan. 30, 2015

The public is invited to comment on permit applications the State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) received for the proposed, federally regulated Constitution Pipeline and an upgrade to the Iroquois Wright Compressor station in Schoharie County that is part of the project.

The 30-inch Constitution Pipeline is a proposed interstate natural gas pipeline that would traverse 124 miles though Broome, Chenango, Delaware and Schoharie counties, transporting 650,000 dekatherms of gas per day – enough to serve approximately 3 million homes.

Just last month, November 15, more than 200 people converged on Ithaca College to discuss how communities can protect their interests in the face of development from pipelines, compressor stations, and other fracking infrastructure. Pipelines represent a huge investment in continuing to burn fossil fuels to power our economy – a $21 billion investment in pipeline development for moving gas extracted from Marcellus shale alone, said environmental lawyer David Slottje. Overall, he said, current estimates point to building 15,000 miles of pipeline each year between now and 2035. Not the sort of investment a company makes for a “bridge fuel”, he noted.

The Federal Energy Regulatory commission (FERC) and NY State Public Service Commission (PSC) are in charge of big projects, such as pipelines. The major difference, especially important in the case of pipelines, is that FERC decisions grant eminent domain whereas PSC doesn’t. Which agency has oversight also depends on whether a pipeline is crossing state borders or connecting to an interstate pipeline, and how big it is.

While transmission lines are regulated, “gathering lines” and those carrying gas at pressures below 125 pounds per square inch (psi), or that are shorter than 1,000 feet fall into the unregulated category.

The Constitution Pipeline is only one of the pipelines scheduled for this area. There’s also the “Millennium Phase-1 North-South Upstate Pipeline Connector”, locally referred to as the “I-81 Pipeline”. This is a 24-inch, high-pressure pipeline slated to run from Johnson City in Broome County north along I-81 to Syracuse. A pipeline that large needs 75-foot easements, she said – a large swath across people’s property.

According to Delaware Riverkeeper, a 100-foot wide right-of-way translates into twelve acres of disturbed land for every mile of pipeline. People need to consider the impacts along the entire length of these pipelines. But instead, some pipeline companies are breaking down their project to look like shorter pipeline projects so that FERC doesn’t see assessments for cumulative damage along the entire route.

Because the proposed Constitution pipeline and compressor station upgrade are components of an Interstate Natural Gas Transmission project, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) was responsible for conducting an environmental review of the project and has the authority to approve the pipeline route. FERC issued a final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) in October, but additional federal reviews and approvals for the project also are necessary. You can read the FEIS at: http://elibrary.FERC.gov/idmws/file_list.asp?accession_num=20141024-4001

DEC maintains the authority to review applications for specific permits and approvals. These include an Air Title V permit for the proposed compressor station upgrade, as well as a Water Quality Certification, a Protection of Waters permit, a Water Withdrawal permit and a Freshwater Wetlands permit for state-protected wetlands and adjacent areas for the pipeline installation.

DEC Notice of completed Application (second one) at  http://www.dec.ny.gov/enb/20141224_reg0.html#099990018100009

 

Comments will be accepted on the permit applications from Dec. 24, 2014 to Jan. 30, 2015. Comments can be submitted to:

Stephen M. Tomasik

DEC - Division of Environmental Permits

625 Broadway, 4th Floor

Albany, NY 12233-1750

constitution@dec.ny.gov

In addition, DEC will hold public meetings to allow people to provide verbal or written comments. The meeting schedule is:

    Binghamton - Monday, Jan. 12, 2015, 6 p.m.

    East Middle School Auditorium, 167 East Frederick Street

    Oneonta - Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015, 6 p.m.

    SUNY Oneonta Lecture Hall IRC #3, 108 Ravine Parkway

    Cobleskill, Wednesday, Jan. 14. 2015, 6 p.m.

    SUNY Cobleskill, Bouck Hall Theater, State Route 7

Copies of the FEIS and DEC permit application documents can be viewed online at: http://www.constitutionpipeline.com/  Printed copies are available at:

• The Broome County Public Library, 185 Court St., Binghamton
• The Afton Free Library, 105A Main St., Afton
• The Bainbridge Free Library, 13 N Main St., Bainbridge.
• The Franklin Free Library, 334 Main St., Franklin
• Sidney Memorial Public Library, 8 River St., Sidney
• Deposit Free Library, 159 Front St., Deposit
• The Community Library, 110 Union St., Cobleskill
• Schoharie Free Library, 103 Knower Ave., Schoharie

Information on the Iroquois Wright Compressor Station can viewed at: http://www.iroquois.com/documents/WIP_-_NYSDEC_Air_Permit_Application_7-26-13.pdf .  Printed copies are also available at:

• Schoharie Free Library, 103 Knower Avenue, Schoharie
• Town of Wright Municipal Building, 105-3 Factory Street, Gallupville

New Compressor Proposed for Owego, NY

Vestal residents are concerned about having a metering station move into a residential area. One reason could be that once a metering station is in place it just makes sense to put another compressor station in too.

At least that's what's happening a few miles west and across the county line. Central New York Oil and Gas Company (CNYOG) wants to put in a compressor station that will allow them to move gas in and out of their Stagecoach Storage field into the Millennium and Tennessee Gas Pipelines.

The difference is that the CNYOG project falls under the purview of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). That means the proposed project gets an environmental review and well-publicized public meetings - something the Vestal proposal apparently lacks.

On Thursday, July 15 environmental engineers from FERC visited CNYOG's proposed compressor site for an environmental site review. Eight people, including unicipal officials from Owego, as well as representatives from Soil and Water Conservation District, NYS Ag and Markets and local residents, laced up their boots and joined them on the short hike to the site.  It was more people than FERC environmental project manager Rich McGuire (the guy with the coffee cup) expected. Usually no one shows up for site reviews, he said.

The current compressor is located on the Reeves Farm, between McLean Road and East Beecher Hill in Owego. “The problem,” said CNYOG representative Randy Parker “is that the current compressor just doesn’t have enough horsepower.” They plan to install an electric 13,400-horsepower centrifugal compressor uphill from the current compressor. A new compressor will allow them more flexibility in moving gas from the storage field to the pipelines. They’ll also need an electric substation at the site.

   

Noise shouldn’t be an issue, Parker noted, because FERC regulations set that level at 55 decibels (dB). When asked about emissions, Parker explained that was the primary reason for building an electric-powered compressor. Except for fugitive emissions from the pipeline, there shouldn’t be any emissions, he said.

McGuire asked, “Why here?” The most important reason, Parker explained, is that it's located close to the Millennium Pipeline. The construction won’t impact other land owners much, and the farmer who owns the land is agreeable to selling the 25 acres required for the access road and compressor. CNYOG looked at other areas but one was too close to the pipeline, and the other was too steep a slope. This site, while near the top of a hill, is fairy level. 

So far, Parker said, the only concerns from adjacent landowners are how the compressor construction will affect hunting, and the potential for storm water runoff. 

The facility itself will be unmanned, monitored electronically from a distance. In addition to monitors the station will have alarms and the capacity to automatically “blow-down” the walls in the event of a gas leak.

Plans include retaining a wooded buffer between the compressor site and the landowners. “The current landowners are not opposed to the plans at all,” Parker said. “In fact, they plan to incorporate the site into their hay-rides.” And neighboring landowners and hunters seem to appreciate the deer habitat the clearing will provide.

Amy Gonzales, of AK Environmental, is working on the environmental assessment for the project as well. She addressed storm water runoff and wetland concerns. “We will be doing erosion and sediment control during construction,” she said. This includes such things as using a silt fence, hay bales, or erosion control blankets. She also explained that they will re-seed and mulch exposed soil and access roads.

“Erosion control is a major issue on any pipeline project,” Gonzales said. “FERC has a little more oversight and stricter regulations than other agencies.”

Read more about the FERC project here.