Columbia Gas project progresses at FERC

OREANDA-NEWS. September 12, 2016. Columbia Gas Transmission's 1.5 Bcf/d (42mn cf/d) Leach XPress natural gas pipeline project has passed a key federal environmental review.

The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a final environmental impact statement last week. The agency concluded that while construction and operation of the project would have some adverse environmental impacts, the effect on the environment could be reduced to less than significant levels with the use of some mitigating measures.

The \\$1.4bn project includes about 160 miles (257km) of new pipeline, three new compressor stations, modifications at two existing stations and three new regulator stations among other new and updated facilities. The pipeline company will also abandon 28.2mi of pipeline beginning in Fairfield County, Ohio, and traveling south to Hocking County, Ohio.

The project will connect production areas in the prolific Appalachian Marcellus and Utica shales to the Columbia Gas mainline system, thereby moving more natural gas to market, the pipeline said.

FERC can prepare either an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement for pipeline projects, depending on each project's scope. The environmental impact statement has more steps and includes meetings to hear public comments, as well as a final draft including FERC's response to comments.

In the final impact statement FERC said if the project is constructed and operated in accordance with laws and regulations, mitigating measures and FERCs recommendations, its environmental impacts will be minimized. Among other mitigation measures and suggestions, FERC said it would complete an endangered species consultation before allowing construction to begin, and said Columbia Gas should finalize a migratory bird conservation plan.

FERC's final environmental impact statement on Leach XPress also includes Columbia Gulf Transmission's Rayne XPress expansion project, which involves the construction of two new compressor stations in Kentucky and modifications to a station in the state in order to boost flows on the line by 600mn cf/d.

Pending regulatory approval, both projects are scheduled to come on line in the second half of 2017.