Constitution Pipeline Says FERC Filing
Opens Door To Construction By Spring
The Constitution Pipeline Co. said it is anticipating starting construction in the first quarter of 2015 after FERC today published its final environmental review of the 124-mile-long project.
The FERC action is a key step toward the commission’s decision on the project, which is expected as early as late November, company said, anticipating it may be delivering natural gas downstate and to New England by the 2015-16 heating season.
“After a long and comprehensive review of our proposed route, as well as significant route alternatives, the FERC’s Final Environmental Impact Statement confirms that the Constitution Pipeline can be constructed in a manner that minimizes environmental impacts, while adding a key piece of natural gas infrastructure to the U.S. Northeast,” the project sponsors said in a joint statement. “Once in service, the Constitution Pipeline will provide important access to new, domestic sources of natural gas, bolstering supply reliability and contributing toward stabilization of the prices consumers pay for energy.”
Earlier this year, Constitution Pipeline and Leatherstocking Gas Company, LLC announced plans to install four delivery taps along Constitution’s proposed route to facilitate local natural gas service to homes and businesses in southern New York and northern Pennsylvania.
The FERC Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) assesses the potential environmental effects of the construction and operation of the projects in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act. The EIS concluded that environmental impacts would be reduced to “less than significant levels” with the implementation of proposed mitigation measures by the company and FERC.
The FERC served in a coordinating role with relevant federal and state agencies in developing its final EIS. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Highway Administration, and the state Department of Agriculture & Markets also participated as cooperating agencies in the preparation of the EIS.
The FERC’s 90-day federal authorization decision deadline for the project is set for Jan. 22, 2015.
The Constitution Pipeline is designed to transport enough natural gas each day to serve approximately 3 million homes in the U.S. Northeast. The project involves the construction and operation of 124 miles of 30-inch-diameter pipeline from natural gas supply areas in northeast Pennsylvania and connecting with existing transmission pipelines in Schoharie County.
