FERC Democrats raise concerns over gas line expansion

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) affirmed yesterday a 2016 order that found public need for an expansion of the Tennessee Gas Pipeline.

But the two Democrats on the panel criticized how the majority ignored potential greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the project.

Environmental groups had raised multiple objections to the Broad Run expansion project, an effort to add compression to the pipeline in West Virginia and Kentucky that is scheduled to come into service this month. But FERC dismissed all assertions of interveners and denied rehearing of the earlier order.

Democratic commissioner Cheryl LaFleur concurred with the need for the project, which calls for adding 193mn cf/d by building compressor stations and replacing old ones with higher horsepower units. She also performed her own greenhouse gas assessment and estimated the expansion of gas transportation capacity would contribute about 3.7mn metric tonnes/yr of CO2.

She said the majority's review approach "should be thoroughly reexamined as part of our ongoing notice of inquiry on the certificate of policy statement." This is a recent notice of inquiry by FERC to examine how new gas pipelines should be certificated.

Democratic commissioner Richard Glick dissented on this environmental aspect of the Broad Run expansion order. He said FERC should make its best effort to consider a project's potential contribution to climate change.

The affirmed order said upstream impacts of the expansion on climate change, namely gas production, are not foreseeable, while downstream effects of increased consumption are not identifiable.

The pipeline also requested rehearing and clarification of certain rate issues, which FERC denied.

The commission will have to approve the start of service on the Broad Run expansion.