Advertisement. Advertise with us

CLICK HERE TO READ DECISION

CONSTITUTION

LOSES ROUND

Stop Pipeline Hails Decision;

Company: We’ll Win In End

By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

A federal Court of Appeals today denied the Constitution Pipeline’s appeal of the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s 2016 decision blocking the 121-mile project intended to carry fracked gas from Northeast Pennsylvania, through Delaware County, to connect with the Iroquois Pipeline near Cobleskill.

The case was argued last Nov. 16 before the Second Circuit in New York City, and the decision was handed down today.

In the decision, the federal judges deny both of the Constitution’s contentions:  one, that the DEC waited too long to issue a decision, and the project should thus be allowed to go forward; two, that the DEC decision was “arbitrary” and “capricious.”

At issue was whether the DEC had authority to block the pipeline by denying a water-quality permit, or whether the decision belongs to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; and pipeline developer, Williams of Tulsa, Okla., said today it believes FERC, not the state, will make the ultimate decision.

Anne Marie Garti, Delhi, lawyer for Stop the Pipeline, nonetheless hailed the decision: “We applaud DEC for its careful consideration of the impacts of this dangerous and damaging project and for taking its responsibility to protect New York’s water resources so seriously.”

In its statement, though, Williams said that, in today’s decision, the Second Circuit court recognizes the jurisdiction of the D.C. Circuit, which “recently acknowledged FERC’s authority to make the ultimate decision under the Natural Gas Act.”

“The Constitution Pipeline represents a transformational opportunity for New York and New England to uplift their economies, create short- and long-term jobs, reduce energy costs for consumers and businesses, and also address concerns about air quality,” the company said.

Posted

2 Comments

  1. It’s Anne Marie Garti , not Mary Ann Garti and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals is in NYC not Philadelphia. What a great victory for environmentalists who worked so hard and sacrificed so much for this victory! Congratulations !

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Related Articles

SCOLINOS: It’s All We Need To Know: Home Plate 17 Inches Wide

COLUMN VIEW FROM THE GAME It’s All We Need To Know: Home Plate 17 Inches Wide Editor’s Note:  Tim Mead, incoming Baseball Hall of Fame president, cited John Scolinos, baseball coach at his alma mater, Cal Poly Pomona, as a lifelong inspiration, particularly Scolinos’ famous speech “17 Inches.” Chris Sperry, who published sperrybaseballlife.com, heard Scolinos deliver a version in 1996 at the American Baseball Coaches Association in Nashville, and wrote this reminiscence in 1916 in his “Baseball Thoughts” column. By CHRIS SPERRY • from www.sperrybaseballlife.com In 1996, Coach Scolinos was 78 years old and five years retired from a college coaching…

Sports Can Resume, Superintendents Told

CLICK HERE FOR MEMO TO SCHOOLS Sports Can Resume, Superintendents Told COOPERSTOWN – In a memo released Friday evening, county Public Health Director Heidi Bond advised local school superintendents that sports can resume as early as Monday. “Effective Feb. 1, participants in higher-risk sports may participate in individual or distanced group training and organized no/low-contact group training,” Bond wrote, “…including competitions and tournaments, if permitted by local health authorities.”…

Piper Seamon Scores 1,000th point

1,000 THANKS! Piper Seamon 5th CCS Girl To Hit High Mark The Cooperstown Central student section erupts as Piper Seamon scores her 1,000th career point in the Hawkeyes’ 57-39 win over Waterville at home last evening. Seamon becomes the fifth girl and only the 14th player in school history overall to score 1,000 points.  Inset at right, Pipershares a hug with teammate Meagan Schuermann after the game was stopped to acknowledge her achievement. Seamon will play basketball next year at Hamilton College. (Cheryl Clough/AllOTSEGO.com)  …

Putting the Community Back Into the Newspaper

Now through March 30, new annual subscribers to “The Freeman’s Journal” and AllOtsego.com (or subscribers who have lapsed for two or more years) have an opportunity to help their choice of one of four Otsego County charitable organizations.

$5.00 of your subscription will be donated to the nonprofit of your choice:

Cooperstown Farmers’ Market, Cooperstown Food Pantry, Greater Oneonta Historical Society or Super Heroes Humane Society.