FEDS APPROVE THE LEIDY SOUTHEAST PIPELINE EXPANSION TO ACCOMMODATE MARCELLUS SHALE

Feds approve the Leidy Southeast pipeline expansion to accommodate Marcellus Shale

December 19, 2014 | 5:32 PM

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved an addition to the interstate Transco pipeline that will help more Marcellus Shale gas get to New Jersey. The Leidy Southeast line is essentially a series of “loops” totaling about 30 miles planned for both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. FERC overruled objections from environmentalists who say the line would damage wetlands and farms. The $738 million project is part of a push to expand pipeline capacity in Pennsylvania in order to transport Marcellus Shale gas to places of high demand. More from NJ Spotlight: 

The proliferation of new gas and other pipelines has become a big issue in New Jersey, largely because many of the projects that have been approved go through lands set aside with taxpayer funds for preservation, including the New Jersey Highlands and the Pinelands Preservation Area.

Yesterday, the state Assembly approved a resolution with bipartisan support (AR-191) opposing a proposed oil pipeline that also would run through parts of central Jersey. The Legislature is working on a bill (S-570) that would increase compensation from energy projects on public lands.

The projects all are aimed at delivering cheap natural gas from the Marcellus Shale formations in Pennsylvania to heat homes and power the plants that produce electricity — both at significant savings.

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Leidy Southeast

Historically low natural gas prices and the public’s desire for cleaner energy have fueled the growing popularity of natural gas. Clean-burning natural gas currently produces one-third of all electric generation and heats about half of all U.S. homes – and those numbers continue to climb.

 Williams, a leading energy infrastructure company, is developing an expansion of its existing Transco natural gas transmission pipeline to serve the growing needs of local gas distribution companies along the Atlantic Seaboard by late 2015. The Transco pipeline is a major transporter of natural gas in the southeast and northeastern United States.

The Leidy Southeast Expansion Project is designed to increase the Transco pipeline’s capacity by 525,000 dekatherms of natural gas per day (enough natural gas to serve about 2 million homes). The proposal would involve the construction of approximately 30 miles of additional pipe segments, called loops, in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, in addition to modifying some existing pipeline facilities.

Scope

As part of the Leidy Southeast Expansion, Williams is proposing the construction of four new pipe sections (loops), as well as making modifications to various existing compressor stations and valve sites. The pipeline loops vary in length and are expected to parallel the existing Transco pipeline, either completely within or adjacent to the existing utility corridor. By maximizing the use of our existing transmission corridor, our goal is to minimize the impact on property owners and the environment.

Proposed Major Facility Modifications
State	County	Scope
PA	Luzerne	5.31 miles of 42-inch pipe (Dorrance Loop)
PA	Luzerne / Monroe	11.47 miles of 42-inch pipe (Franklin Loop)
PA	Luzerne	Existing compressor facility modifications
PA	Lycoming	Existing compressor facility modifications
PA	Columbia	Existing compressor facility modifications
NJ	Somerset / Hunterdon	6.92 miles of 42-inch pipe (Pleasant Run Loop)
NJ	Somerset / Mercer	6.18 miles of 42-inch pipe (Skillman Loop)
NJ	Mercer	Existing compressor facility modifications

Selecting Facility Locations

In developing the pipeline project, engineers attempt to balance environmental and landowner considerations with the engineering requirements for safely constructing a transmission pipeline. These factors include geography, environmental concerns, collocation with other linear development and constructability.

Sophisticated computer modeling is used to identify what new pipeline facilities will be required to create the necessary pipeline capacity requested by the project customers. Increasing natural gas deliveries can be accomplished through one or a combination of the following:

Increasing horsepower at pipeline compressor stations or building new compressor stations;

Replacing existing pipeline with larger pipeline;

Building new pipeline, either next to existing pipes or in an area where pipelines don’t currently exist (sometimes referred to as “greenfield” pipelines).

The pipeline company must evaluate a number of environmental factors, including potential impacts on residents, threatened and endangered species, wetlands, water bodies, groundwater, fish, vegetation, wildlife, cultural resources, geology, soils, land use, air and noise quality.

Pipeline companies are strongly encouraged by federal regulators to consider routes along existing corridors, such as pipeline rights of way, roadways, utility corridors, railroad corridors and other easements.

After analyzing maps, aerial photos, environmental reports and other available data, pipeline engineers establish a preliminary route or location for the new facilities, as well as location alternatives.

Ground Surveys

Ground surveys are a pre­liminary first step in gathering critical information that can be used in devel­oping the pipeline proposal.  Initial ground surveys (environmental, cultural and civil surveys) for the Leidy Southeast project began in November 2012.  After receiving permission from the landowner, each property is visited by various specialists in land, engineering and environmental sciences. These may or may not be con­current visits but should not last longer than one or two days each. Some prop­erties may need to be revisited to obtain additional data. All information col­lected will be used to help determine the best location of the proposed pipeline facilities.

Permitting Process

Before any new pipeline facilities can be constructed, Williams must first obtain a federal Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), in addition to various state and local permits.

Pre-Filing
In January 2013 Williams requested that the FERC initiate a pre-filing environmental review of the proposed pipeline project. The project was assigned pre-filing docket number PF13-5. All pre-filing documentation can be accessed at the FERC website by referencing the pre-filing docket number.

The FERC pre-filing process is intended to solicit early input from citizens, governmental entities and other interested parties to identify and address issues with potential facility locations. The company hosted a series of public open houses during the spring of 2013 in the affected areas to formally introduce the proposal to the public and solicit feedback. Public input is important to the project and can shape the final project footprint.

Filing of 7(c) Applicaiton

Williams filed an application with FERC on Sept. 30, 2013, seeking approval to construct the Leidy Southeast project.

The Certificate Application is a comprehensive document that describes the proposed project, its need and potential environmental impacts. The project was assigned Docket Number CP13-551. All documents and correspondence submitted to or issued by FERC regarding the project can be accessed by referencing the Docket Number on the FERC website located at http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/search/fercgensearch.asp.

Schedule

January 2013 – Detailed civil surveys began and are ongoing

January 2013 – Pre-filing process began

April 2013 – Open houses and informational meetings

Summer 2013 – FERC scoping hearings

Summer 2013 – Submit draft environmental reports to FERC

September 2013 – Submit 7(c) application to FERC

Fall 2014 – Proposed compressor station construction start

Spring 2015 – Proposed pipeline construction start

December 2015 – Target in-service

Our Commitment

Williams is committed to working with landowners, as well as local, state and federal agencies, to design and construct the project in a manner that minimizes environmental and landowner impacts. The company is committed to extensive public outreach in advance of submitting our application to the FERC. Our goals are to:

Generate a broad awareness of the project, its purposes and value to the region’s economy and to meeting the future energy needs of the state and region.

Ensure that community residents and a broad range of stakeholders have ample opportunity to understand the process and their rights, ask questions, voice concerns and present ideas about the project.

Create an atmosphere of openness, disclosure and public dialogue in which we can respond to questions, concerns and suggestions presented by the community and other stakeholders.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us anytime.

Toll-free hotline: 866-455-9103
Email: PipelineExpansion@williams.com

You may also call or write our land office:

95 Highland Ave, Suite 150
Bethlehem, Pa. 18017
610-419-9145

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Environmental Assessment for the Leidy Southeast Expansion Project (CP13-551) Issued August 11, 2014 

The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission or FERC) has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) for the Leidy Southeast Expansion Project (Project). The Project is proposed by Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco). The Project would expand the natural gas delivery capacity to the northeast region of the United States by up to 525,000 dekatherms per day. The proposed facilities associated with the Project include the following: 

·         about 29.8 miles of new 42-inch-diameter pipeline loop in four separate segments in Mercer, Somerset, and Hunterdon Counties, New Jersey, and Monroe and Luzerne Counties, Pennsylvania;

·         additional compression and modification of existing Compressor Stations 205, 515, 517, and 520 in Mercer County, New Jersey, and Luzerne, Columbia, and Lycoming Counties, Pennsylvania, respectively;

·         modification of existing compressor stations in North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland; and

·         modification of existing meter and regulating stations, mainline valves, and pig launchers and receivers in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland.

The EA has been prepared in compliance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality regulations for implementing NEPA (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] 1500–1508), and FERC regulations implementing NEPA (18 CFR 380).
The conclusions and recommendations presented in the EA are those of the FERC environmental staff. Input from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE), as cooperating agencies, was considered during the development of the staff’s conclusions and recommendations. Although the cooperating agencies provided input to the conclusions and recommendations presented in the EA, the COE will present its own conclusions and recommendations in its Records of Decision or determinations for the Project.
The FERC staff concludes that approval of the proposed Project, with appropriate mitigating measures, would not constitute a major federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. Potential impacts would be reduced with the implementation of Transco’s proposed minimization and mitigation measures and the 25 additional measures recommended in the EA. These conclusions are supported by the following:

·         Transco would obtain all necessary federal authorizations prior to commencement of construction;

·         consultation required by Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act is completed; and

·         Transco would reduce and mitigate impacts on natural resources and public safety during construction by implementing Project-specific plans, which include the following: Comprehensive Rock Handling Plan for the Princeton Ridge Segment of the Skillman Loop; Construction and Restoration Plan Developed Specifically for New Jersey State Planning Areas: Environmentally Sensitive Area 5 and Fringe 3, Along the Skillman Loop; Erosion and Sediment Control Plans; Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures Plan; and Horizontal Directional Drill and Contingency Plan.

Comments on the EA must be received in Washington, DC on or before September 10, 2014. The FERC Commissioners will take into consideration staff’s recommendations and comments received when they make a decision on the Project.