Equitrans’ 300-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) from West Virginia to southern Virginia is now 70% done (see Shocker: Mountain Valley Pipeline Now 70% Built, Online by 4Q19). Last November MVP filed a new project plan with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to expand MVP *another* 70 miles south, into North Carolina (see EQT Makes it Official, Files with FERC to Extend MVP into NC).
The MVP Southgate project, as it’s called, will flow gas from the MVP mainline where it terminates in Pittsylvania County another 70 miles south to new delivery points in Rockingham and Alamance counties in North Carolina.
It didn’t take long for Big Green groups to swing into action to oppose Southgate (see Colluding Big Green Groups File FERC Motion to Block MVP Southgate). The Center Biological Diversity, Appalachian Mountain Advocates, Appalachian Voices, Sierra Club, Haw River Assembly, and Chesapeake Climate Action Network filed a motion to intervene, meaning they want a voice in the decision. A rogues’ gallery of sleazy organizations.
But they aren’t the only ones objecting. The North Carolina Utilities Commission and North Carolina Dept. of Environmental Quality have also filed with FERC to object to the project, putting MVP on the defensive (see Mountain Valley Pipe Defends Southgate Expansion into NC).
We now fight for every square inch of every new pipeline anywhere in the U.S. (unless the pipeline happens to flow beer, then it’s OK by antis). Even with all of the opposition to MVP and the Southgate project, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is ready to make a decision on project, relatively soon.
Last Friday FERC laid out their schedule. FERC will issue a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project this July, a final EIS by Dec. 19, and a final decision about authorizing the project no later than March 18, 2020–one year from now. That’s pretty speedy for FERC.
As a reminder, the Southgate Project includes:
- constructing 73 miles of new 24-inch- and 16-inch-diameter pipeline in Pittsylvania County in Virginia, and Rockingham and Alamance Counties in North Carolina;
- constructing the 28,915 horsepower Lambert Compressor Station in Pittsylvania County, Virginia;
- associated valves, piping, pig launching and receiving facilities, and appurtenant facilities.
The proposed project facilities commence near the City of Chatham, in Pittsylvania County and terminate at a delivery point with Public Service Company of North Carolina, Inc. near the City of Graham in Alamance County. Southgate is designed to transport 375 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of yummy Marcellus/Utica natural gas.
Copy of the “Notice of Schedule” for the Southgate project issued by FERC:
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