MEMBER SIGN IN
Not a member? Become one today!
         iBerkshires     Berkshire Chamber     MCLA     City Statistics    
Search
Kinder Morgan Shrinks Pipeline Size; Public Hearings Scheduled
By Andy McKeever, iBerkshires Staff
01:12AM / Saturday, July 18, 2015
Print | Email  

The state will be holding public hearings to determine the scope of environmental impact reports for the proposed natural gas pipeline.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Kinder Morgan is prepared to move forward with the proposed natural gas pipeline through the Berkshires, albeit the plan is for a somewhat smaller size.
 
On Thursday, Kinder Morgan announced it will continue with the permitting process for the Northeast Energy Direct Project, a 30-inch (down from 36 inches) pipeline from New York state through the Berkshires to Dracut. The project is a $3.3 billion investment in which the company says would cure a shortage of energy in New England.
 
"We are excited that the market path component is moving forward and a determination now has been made on mainline capacity for the project, which is specifically targeted at serving the Northeast and New England's identified future market needs," said Kinder Morgan East Region Pipelines President Kimberly S. Watson in a statement released Thursday.
 
"At 30 inches in diameter, a 1.3 [billion cubic feet per day] pipeline will serve the commitments we have received from New England local gas distribution companies and commitments we expect to receive from other LDCs and electric distribution companies to provide domestic, low cost and environmentally cleaner natural gas as a fuel for New England's residential and industrial consumers, and to meet New England's existing and anticipated gas-fired electricity generation demand."
 
The proposal has the pipeline entering Massachusetts in Hancock, cutting along the existing rights of way under power lines in Lanesborough, into Cheshire, Dalton, Hinsdale, Windsor, and Peru, before heading east. The project is in the public comment portion of the "prefiling stage."
 
Residents have their chance to weigh in on the pipeline during a series of events in the coming weeks. On Tuesday, July 28, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is holding a public hearing to develop the scope of the environmental impact statements. That will be held at Taconic High School at 7 p.m. The focus of that hearing isn't so much to argue over the impacts but rather to give guidance in what should be looked at.
 
The deadline for comments on the scope of the environmental impact report expires on Aug. 31. The state will need to have comments submitted by then and will be holding a public hearing on what FERC should be told.
 
The Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board will act as the state's voice in the process and will hold a public hearing on Aug. 4 at 7 p.m, just a week after FERC's hearing. The state is asking for public comment until Aug. 13.
 
Kinder Morgan is expected to enter the formal process — not just the prefiling — in October and ultimately, FERC will determine if the project moves forward or not. 
 
"Our impression is that this is a very fact-driven process," said Berkshire Regional Planning Commission Executive Director Nathaniel Karns.
 
Karns is working with a group of town officials from the areas impacted, including all of the Berkshire County towns except Peru and Hancock. That group grew out the company's first plan that included Lenox and Richmond, where officials first pulled the crowd together. The group also has participation from nearby New York towns and are in communication with other Massachusetts and even New Hampshire towns. 
 
"It has generally been the town administrator or manager, a select board member, the fire and water districts," Karns said.
 
The group has already identified a number of issues they'll be asking FERC to consider. Karns used one example of potential impacts in the town of Lanesborough with regards to roads. The company will presumable have to use Nobody's Road to access a portion of the construction. Route 8 in that area is already congested and Karns said there will be more congestion, delayed public safety response times, and damage to the roadways.
 
It is those types of issues Karns said the group has brainstormed throughout all towns impacts and have categorized then into seven subcategories — protection of drinking water, infrastructure, public safety, private property owners, compressor station impacts, water resources (wetlands), and socio-economic and fiscal issues. 
 
"Collectively and individually, we will be submitting extensive written comments to FERC regarding issues of importance to our communities and counties which we believe the Environmental Impact Statement must address," reads a document the group prepared for Karns to read at the public hearing.
 
"The level of impacts which such a project will create on our communities is profound."
 
Once the company files for a permit in October, there is a 20-day window for communities and individuals to apply to become "intervenors" in the case. Karns is telling towns to get their paperwork and votes in place to act swiftly when that happens in order to have a seat at the table.
 
FERC typically renders a decision within 12 to 18 months but there is no deadline for a decision. BRPC Senior Planner Thomas Matusko said FERC has already asked Kinder Morgan to provide addition information on two other routes the company listed as alternatives — one that goes down the Massachusetts Turnpike and another that will replace lines already existing from Richmond to Sandisfield.
 
Karns said there is a perception that FERC "never turns down projects" but "that's literally not true. It is close to true. But, more projects get into the process and then are withdrawn."
 
There are also other companies proposing projects to bring additional natural gas to New England and it is presumed FERC will look at the market and needs in rendering decisions. Some of those projects are already ahead of Kinder Morgan in the permitting process. 
 
"There are at least two alternate projects that are somewhat ahead in the process," Karns said.
 
However, Karns said the group will not be making comments on the need debate because FERC's process is "very fact-driven" and BRPC doesn't have the technical data and knowledge to support any claims.
 
Kinder Morgan, however, says its market research has shown there is a need for the pipeline and despite saying it is shrinking the pipeline, the company is keeping its options open to use the 36-inch size.
 
"While TGP is now moving forward with a 30-inch pipeline design, circumstances could arise in the very near term as more capacity commitments are made that would necessitate a design modification to a 36-inch pipeline design, and that would require us to file an amended application with the FERC," Watson said.  
 
The company says its wants the pipeline up and running by fall 2018. Two FERC hearings have already been held in New York. 
0Comments
More Featured Stories
NorthAdams.com is owned and operated by: Boxcar Media 102 Main Sreet, North Adams, MA 01247 -- T. 413-663-3384
© 2011 Boxcar Media LLC - All rights reserved