N.J. congresswoman proposes stiffer federal reviews of new pipelines
U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D., N.J.), joined by opponents of the PennEast natural-gas pipeline, said Wednesday that she would introduce legislation to require federal regulators to analyze proposed new pipelines more critically, including consideration of "less environmentally disruptive alternatives."
U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D., N.J.), joined by opponents of the PennEast natural-gas pipeline, said Wednesday that she would introduce legislation requiring federal regulators to analyze proposed new pipelines more critically, including consideration of "less environmentally disruptive alternatives."
Critics of the $1.2 billion PennEast project say the current Federal Energy Regulatory Commission review process unfairly favors energy companies. The commission is currently reviewing the application for the 119-mile-long PennEast Pipeline, which would deliver Marcellus Shale gas primarily to New Jersey utilities.
The new legislation would mandate that FERC consider an analysis of demonstrated regional need for a pipeline's additional gas, the efficiency of existing pipelines, the effect of proposed pipelines on the customers of existing pipelines, a pipeline's compliance with state and federal renewable-energy goals, and a region's ability to meet energy needs with economically viable and less environmentally disruptive alternatives to pipelines.
A spokeswoman for PennEast, which is sponsored by a subsidiary of UGI Corp. of Valley Forge, said the existing FERC process "thoroughly considers need and extensively analyzes environmental impact" of proposed pipelines.
With the recent growth of the domestic oil and gas industry and its need for new pipelines, the FERC review process has come under increasing pressure from a coalition of climate activists and local communities.
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