Pipeline Primer

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April 23, 2018

FERC, called a ‘rubber stamp’ by critics, begins policy review for approval of natural gas pipelines

In a 2-1 ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit found that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission failed properly quantify greenhouse gas emissions linked to a pipeline expansion project in the southeastern U.S.

The federal government has opened a review on whether its policies governing approval of interstate natural-gas pipelines should be revamped, an issue often raised by critics of the rapid expansion of industry infrastructure in New Jersey. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last week launched an inquiry into whether its policies, unchanged since 1999, dealing with its oversight [...]

February 8, 2018

PennEast pipeline seeks eminent domain, plus U.S. marshals to protect workers

Jon Hurdle / StateImpact PA A landowner rips up an offer of compensation from PennEast at a rally February 2, 2018. The PennEast Pipeline Co. filed eminent domain notices in federal court to obtain access to land owned by dozens of people in New Jersey and Pennsylvania who have refused its offers of compensation for building the proposed natural gas pipeline on their property. Court documents were filed [...]

December 28, 2017

Energy in 2017: Regulatory rollback and environmentalist angst

The priorities set by a new presidential administration dominated energy news in 2017. President Donald Trump and his cabinet set an agenda to “unleash” America’s energy potential, removing the barriers they perceive to be holding back domestic energy production — often to the dismay of the environmental community. Here’s a compilation of the year’s biggest [...]

September 21, 2017

Pipeline agency fails to explain how it assesses risk, prioritizes inspections

It’s unclear whether federal regulators are properly prioritizing safety inspections on the nation’s massive network of natural gas and hazardous liquids pipelines, according to a recent report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Pipeline safety is overseen by the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA), which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. [...]

August 25, 2017

Federal court ruling could delay major natural gas pipeline projects

A recent federal court ruling could delay major pipeline projects planned to move Marcellus Shale natural gas to new markets. On Tuesday the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled 2-1 in favor of a climate-related challenge brought by the Sierra Club against federal regulators. The case centers on the Southeast Market [...]

May 12, 2017

Lawmaker wants pipeline protesters to pay for police, cleanup costs

New pipelines designed to carry Pennsylvania’s shale gas have taken center stage in a controversy over climate change, private property rights, and the nation’s energy future. Protests have emerged all over the country, including an encampment in Lancaster County, where activists hope to disrupt construction of the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline–an interstate gas transmission line approved by [...]

April 25, 2017

Northeast needs more gas pipelines, says new report

A new report out this week from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce argues the northeastern United States needs more natural gas pipelines. If no new pipelines were built, it could cost the region over 78,000 jobs and $7.6 billion in GDP by the year 2020, the report finds. It is the fifth in a series of [...]

January 26, 2017

Trump gives pipeline industry a boost, but leaders warn against complacency

Donald Trump’s public support of big pipeline projects is giving the industry a shot in the arm. But it still faces hurdles from state and local opposition, according to industry leaders. On Tuesday, Trump signed executive orders to revive the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, and expedite environmental reviews on some projects. Keystone XL [...]

January 15, 2017

Lancaster County pipeline opponents prepare for encampments

Anti-pipeline activists in Lancaster County are preparing to engage in nonviolent civil disobedience to block a proposed natural gas transmission line. The group Lancaster Against Pipelines is spearheading the effort. Activists have built two wooden structures near Conestoga, which they intend to occupy if and when crews begin work on the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline. Williams, [...]

January 12, 2017

Gas industry talks pipelines, bird flu, at the Farm Show

Pennsylvania’s natural gas pipeline building boom is happening mostly in rural areas, which is one of the reasons representatives from the oil and gas industry were at the 101st Farm Show in Harrisburg this week. They kept a relatively low profile though, and tried connect with farmers– about issues ranging from eminent domain, to stopping the [...]