Stop NY Fracked Gas Pipeline

Working with

The Northeast Energy Direct (NED)

1-Kinder Morgan / Tennessee Gas Pipeline letter to ISO New England

New Yorkers will get NONE of this gas

Outline of Presentation

• About the pipeline• About the process• Dangers of the pipeline• Landowner issues• New additional Compressor Station in Columbia County• Is it a bridge fuel to the future?• Do we need it?• Will it bring prices down?• What can we do?

About the Proposed Pipeline

• A buried 30-36” high-pressure natural gas transmission line containing natural gas obtained by hydraulic fracturing

• To bring gas from the fracking fields of Pennsylvania to New England and beyond

• To be built parallel to three existing gas pipelines

1-Allen Fore, Kinder Morgan Public Relations Director, select board meeting, Warwick MA, May 13, 2014

2-Mark Hamarich, Construction Manager for NED, Richmond select board meeting, June 4, 2014

Capacity and Pressure

• Capacity of this pipeline could be up to 2.2 billion cu. ft./day

• Will maintain pressure up to 1,460 psi to allow for “line packing,” storing as much gas as possible in the pipe. The existing pipelines have an approximate psi of 500.

Stages of Pipeline Development

1) TGP/Kinder Morgan has completed their initial Planning and Survey stage.

2) On September 16, 2014 they filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to begin the pre-filing process.

3) The pre-filing process allows the gas company to get the kinks out of its proposal. Open Houses and Scoping Meetings are scheduled.

4) TGP/Kinder Morgan hopes to file with FERC for its “Certificate of Convenience & Public Necessity” in September 2015

5) Gas company and FERC required to hold public hearings with towns in which the pipeline is to be built

6) FERC decides whether to grant “Certificate of Convenience & Public Necessity.”

7) Construction begins when FERC grants the Certificate. The company hopes they can begin construction in January 2017 and have them in service by November 2018.

Safety Concerns

Rural concerns about the Pipeline

— Automatic Shut-Off valves range from 2-1/2 miles in urban areas to 10-12 miles apart in rural areas1

— Ruptures and explosions can create super-hot extended burns until miles of gas, between shut-off valves, burns off2

— FERC only requires “Class 1” pipeline (thinnest allowable gauge) for rural construction areas1

1-Mark Hamarich, Construction Manager for NED, FRCOG & FRPB meeting, July 24, 2014 & PG&E Pipeline Natural Gas FAQ

2-American Gas Association, Natural Gas Consumer Information PDF3-Northern Natural Gas Safety & Public Awareness General Guidance for Emergency Responders

& Jim Hartman, TGP Right of Way Agent, select board meeting, Warwick, MA, May 13, 2014

Explosions

Over 990 “Significant Incidents” on gas transmission lines since 2000

34 Fatalities • 137 Injuries • Over $1.5 billion in property damage

One of the causes of pipeline rupture can be frost heaves, as was the case in a recent gas transmission line explosion in Minnesota1

1-Allen Fore, Kinder Morgan Public Relations Director, select board meeting, Montague, MA, April 7, 2014

Depth of Pipeline

TGP’s new pipeline is planned to be 3 feet deep.

• Do our frost conditions or agriculture practices warrant deeper pipelines?

Industry instructions for local emergency crews

• Contact the pipeline company• Secure the area• Evacuate as necessary• Stay upwind• Do not attempt to put out fire or operate valves• Attempt medical assistance if it is safe to do so• Establish command center for when pipeline company team arrives

• Northern Natural Gas Safety & Public Awareness General Guidance for Emergency Responders & Jim Hartman, TGP Right of Way Agent, select board meeting, Warwick, MA, May 13, 2014

Gas odorants

Chemicals used in Hydraulic Fracturing carry through transmission lines

Air sample testing near compressor stations1 and of gas in transmission lines2 included: benzene, dimethyldisulfide, trimethyl benzene,diethyl benzene, tetramethyl benzene, carbon disulfide,nephthalenes, methyl pyridine, carbonyl sulfide, toluene

among others.

Over 60 known carcinogens, neurotoxins and endocrine disrupters

• 1-Town of Dish, TX, Ambient Air Monitoring Analysis Final Report”, Alisa Rich, MPH, PhDc, President, Wolf Eagle Environmental, September 15, 2009,

• 2-Environmental Public Health Dimensions of Shale and Tight Gas Development”, Seth B. Shonkoff, Jake Hays, and Madelon L. Finkel, April 16, 2014, published by National Institutes of Health

Long term exposure to pollutants

Landowner issues• Presence of a transmission line may lower your property

value and that of your neighbors by as much as 10-30%

• Insurance rates could rise or coverage be limited.

• The average initial offer for similar projects is: $1 per inch of diameter of the pipe for 1 linear foot x # of feet (i.e. 30” dia. pipeline x 500 ft = $15,000 one-time pay-out)

• Landowners continue to pay taxes and hold liability on the easement

• No trees, pools, ponds or permanent structures can be put on the 50’ wide easement once the pipeline is constructed.

What happens when the pipelines are abandoned?

Eminent Domain

• Section 7(h) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) grants the right of eminent domain when a certificate of public convenience and necessity is issued by the Commission under section 7(c) of the NGA.

Thus, when the Commission finds that a proposed project is in the public convenience and necessity, the pipeline company has the right to acquire the property for that project by eminent domain if the pipeline cannot acquire the necessary land through a negotiated easement or where the landowner and the pipeline cannot agree on the compensation to be paid for the land.

New Compressor Station

Malden Bridge Compression Station

Where will new Compression Station be located in Columbia County?

?

The proposed NED Project Market Path Mid Station 1Columbia County, New York will be

located at a potential site adjacent to the proposed mainline within the limits of the shaded band

Noise and lights

• 10 ft. diameter exhaust fans that run 24/7 and substantial lighting at night

• Noise levels usually range from 50-90 decibels at distance (garbage disposal, food blender)

Blow Downs

Compressor Stations regularly exhaust and “blow down” methane gas and drilling chemical residues as part of regular operations to depressurize line

Teel compressor station in PA

Is there a need for more gas?

ISO says there is a need for more gas in New England

• For a few hours • During a few weeks• In the coldest part of the winter

How much?

• ISO says we need .6 billion cu. ft./day

(though that is being disputed)• The NED will provide 2.2 billion cu. ft./day

Where will the rest go?

New Study

• Massachusetts is conducting a new study of need and looking at alternative ways of meeting that need.

• They may determine there is no need after all!

How about?

• Energy Efficiency• More renewables• Fix leaks in fracking, transmission lines,

pigging stations, and compressor stations.

Is Natural Gas a cleaner bridge to the future?

Methane is a 70-86 times more powerful GHG than CO2 over 25 years

Gas leaks• Fracked natural gas is released to the atmosphere in large

volumes in the drilling process, the transmission lines, compressor stations, pigging operations and finally in old leaky distribution systems. Additional volumes are releases in the liquefaction and transport on LNG carriers.

Cleaner than… ?

Cleaner than

Energy Conservation?

Exemptions to Environmental Laws

Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act,

Safe Drinking Water Act, Superfund Act and

Freedom of Information Act,

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court wrote

• “By any responsible account, the exploitation of the Marcellus Shale Formation will produce a detrimental effect on the environment, on the people, their children, and future generations, and potentially on the public purse, perhaps rivaling the environmental effects of coal extraction.”

Therefore, claims that natural gas is a cleaner energy source than coal and

oil are not warranted.

Will new pipelines make gas less expensive?

Advantages

• One time payment to Property owners

• Yearly tax payments to town• Possible economic benefit from

temporary workers using local services

Disadvantages

• NY will not benefit or use any of this gas.

Disadvantages

• Risks of leaks and explosions which could contaminate our soil, water and air.

Disadvantages

• Our public safety officials do not have the specialized equipment to fight a fire or explosion of this type. Company policy is to let fires burn between 10 mile shut-off valves.

Disadvantages

• Chemical off-gassing of over 60 known carcinogens, neurotoxins and endocrine disrupters can create serious health risks.

Disadvantages

• The proposed pipeline is contrary to the rural character of Columbia County.

Disadvantages

• Disruption of property during construction

Disadvantages

• Landowners face loss in property value, more difficulty in selling their home, less control over their property and increased insurance costs, but they still pay taxes on land used for pipeline. In case of accidents, liability is uncertain.

Disadvantages

• Eventually the pipelines will be abandoned and will be the responsibility of the landowner.

Let’s focus energy on new green initiatives

New York’s renewable Portfolio Standard requires that 30% of electricity come from renewables by 2015. Let’s focus our energy on new, clean, energy rather than investing large amounts of money and infrastructure in old-fashioned, dirty, finite, fossil fuels. .

Let’s encourage:• NYSERDA energy audits• Becoming Green

PUBLIC OPPOSITION in Massachusetts— Statewide Petition to Ban New Natural Gas Pipelines and Champion Efficiency and Renewable Energy, over 12,000 signatures online and on paper— Town Resolutions38 out of 38 towns & cities that have held votes so far have passed Resolutions to ban new pipelines within town borders, or Resolutions in favor of town rights to maintain local control. • Ashby• Ashfield• Berlin• Bolton• Buckland• Chesterfield• Conway• Cummington• Dalton• Deerfield• Gill

• Greenfield

• Groton

• Lenox

• Leverett• Montague• Northampton• Northfield• Orange• Pelham*

• Pepperell

• Plainfield• Richmond• Sandisfield• Shelburne• Templeton• Townsend• Warwick• Wendell• Winchendon• Windsor• Worthington

POLITICAL OPPOSITIONIn Massachusetts

“I oppose this pipeline …

because it raises serious questions

about whether it is too massive for

Massachusetts’ energy needs, does

not respect the rights and wishes of

local residents, would worsen

climate change, and could lead to

the export of natural gas to foreign

countries, raising prices for

Massachusetts businesses and consumers.”

Senator Edward J. Markey

Before we sink more money in gas infrastructure, we have an obligation wherever possible to focus our investments on the clean technologies of the future -- not the dirty fuels of the past -- and to minimize the environmental impact of all our energy infrastructure projects. We can do better - and we should.” Senator Elizabeth Warren

Berkshire Eagle Op Ed, Aug. 12, 2014

LAND TRUST & CONSERVATION GROUPS who have issued statementsFranklin Land TrustNashua River Watershed AssociationMass Association of Conservation Commissions Mass Audubon Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition Mount Grace Letter to the GovernorNashoba Conservations Trust North Quabbin Energy Rattlesnake Gutter TrustTrustees of Reservations

Local Endorsement

The Columbia County Environmental Management Council unanimously endorsed a resolution against the pipeline.

Coalition of groups fighting Northeastern Pipelines

What can we do?

• Educate ourselves• Educate our neighbors• Lobby town boards for resolutions and bans• Lobby and write letters to legislators• Write letters to the editor of local newspapers• File comments to FERC

Let’s ask our legislators to:

Stop Energy Exemptions to the …

• Clean Air Act, • Clean Water Act, • Safe Drinking Water Act, • Superfund Act and• Freedom of Information Act,

Reduce leaks

Massachusetts just passed a resolutions to request state & federal legislators to enact laws to tighten inspections of pipelines and reduce leaks in distribution transmissions. This will increase safety and usable gas and decrease leaks, explosions and climate change.

Let’s do the same in New York.

Regulate odorants

Massachusetts regulates that odorants must be put in all gas lines, urban or rural.

Let’s do the same in New York.

Reform FERC

Make the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERD) more accountable to the public.

We rely on town officials to protect our health and safety and

our town resources.We have asked Chatham and New Lebanon to

pass a non-binding resolution in opposition to the proposed pipeline. We will be asking Canaan to do the same next week.

We need our local officials to seek out information about the proposed pipeline and keep us informed

We need our local officials to get involved in the process and make comments to FERC

Would you like to join us?

Presentation can be found at: