Tag Archives: LNG

LNG exports worse than coal –U.S DoE

June 12, 2014Environment, FE, Law, Leak, LNG, Solar, WaterChina, environment, FE, John S. Quarterman, Law, leak, LNG, LNG export, Office of Fossil Energy, Sabal Trail Transmission, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

The same Office of Fossil Energy (FE) that authorizes LNG exports now reports that methane leaks from fracking wells and pipelines are at least as bad for the climate as CO2 from coal. Add to that the destruction of private property rights, wetlands and forests, and overuse and contamination of groundwater, and fracked methane is a disaster. Plus it diverts resources that could be used to go straight to solar and wind power.

Steven Mufson wrote for the Washington Post 9 June 2014, Exporting U.S. natural gas isn’t as “clean” as you think,

The report is titled “Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Perspective on Exporting Liquefied Natural Gas from the United States.”

It says the benefits of cleaner, more efficient combustion of natural gas are largely offset by methane leakage in U.S. production and pipelines and by methane leaks and energy used in the process of liquefying and transporting the LNG. In the case of shipping LNG from the U.S. gulf coast to Shanghai, the greenhouse gas benefits could in some cases be completely offset by those factors when measured over a 20-year period, the report says.

The Energy Department report was released Continue reading LNG exports worse than coal –U.S DoE →

FERC has to consider cumulative pipeline effects

June 7, 2014Alabama, Environment, FERC, Florida, Fracking, Georgia, Law, LNG, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, SolarAlabama, court, cumulative, Delaware Riverkeeper, environment, FERC, Florida, Florida Southeast Connection, Fracking, Georgia, Hillabee Expansion Project, John S. Quarterman, Law, LNG, National Environmental Policy Act, NEPA, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Sabal Trail Transmission, Sierra Club, solar, SONAT, Southeast Market Pipelines Project, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, Tennessee Gas Pipeline, Transco, Williams CompanyJohn S. Quarterman

Would this U.S. Court of Appeals ruling mean FERC needs to consider the cumulative effects of the proposed Sabal Trail pipeline on the same properties as the existing SONAT pipeline? And what about those LNG export authorizations FERC has repeatedly claimed it knows nothing about? And how can FERC justify that project at all, given that solar power is faster, cheaper, and far less environmentally damaging?

Katie Colaneri wrote for NPR 6 June 2014, Court rules federal regulators must consider cumulative impacts of pipeline project,

Regulators violated federal law by not considering the cumulative environmental impacts of multiple upgrades to a natural gas pipeline that runs from Pennsylvania to New Jersey, a federal appeals court said on Friday.

Three environmental groups argued the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) should not have been allowed to conduct an environmental review for one expansion project on the Tennessee Gas Pipeline without considering three other proposed upgrades on the same line.

The U.S. Court of Appeals agreed.

The judges ruled that FERC failed “to include any meaningful analysis of the cumulative impacts of the upgrade projects.” The judges also found Continue reading FERC has to consider cumulative pipeline effects →

Build FPL’s natural gas pipeline or not? –Palm Beach Post

June 2, 2014Economy, Environment, Florida, Fracking, Hazards, LNG, Martin Countycoal, Economy, environment, Eric Silagy, export, Florida, FPL, Fracking, Hazards, indirect, induced, jobs, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Martin County, NextEra Energy, oil, Palm Beach County, Palm Beach Post, Sabal Trail Transmission, solar, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, T. Boone Pickens, windJohn S. Quarterman

FPL’s hometown newspaper never mentions solar or wind in an opinion piece asking whether you think the Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline is a good idea. You can comment directly in the newspaper. Maybe you’d like to send your comments to FERC, as well.

Palm Beach Post Opinion Staff wrote yesterday, Should FPL’s natural gas pipeline be built?

NextEra Energy, parent of Florida Power & Light, is contracting with Spectra Energy to run a natural gas pipleine 591 miles through the heart of the state, ending in Martin County.

FPL President Eric Silagy says the company needs the additional pipeline to provide redundancy and added capacity to the state’s existing natural gas pipleines. FPL is now the nation’s largest consumer of natural gas, he says.

It’s curious how FPL’s own projections in its 10-year plan don’t support Continue reading Build FPL’s natural gas pipeline or not? –Palm Beach Post →

The Halliburton fracking Loophole and LNG exports

June 1, 2014Economy, Environment, FE, FERC, Fracking, Law, LNGClean Water Cat, Climate Change, coal, CWA, Economy, Ed Markey, EIA, Energy Policy Act, environment, EPA2005, export, FE, FERC, Fracking, Halliburton Loophole, Hazards, John S. Quarterman, Law, LNG, NEPA, nuclear, RCRA, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, review, Safe Drinking Water Act, SDWA, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

So FE proposes to follow the law, NEPA, specifically. How about we also repeal the Halliburton Loophole in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPA2005) that enables fracking and LNG exports?

The Office of Fossil Energy (FE)’s parent U.S. Department of Energy (DoE)’s writeup on EPA2005 doesn’t mention its fracking effects or liquid natural gas (LNG) storage or export. FERC’s writeup spells out that EPA2005 not just enabled but required LNG export:

Mandatory within 60 days after date of enactment
Continue reading The Halliburton fracking Loophole and LNG exports →

LNG export approval pause puts FERC on hook for EIAs

June 1, 2014Economy, Environment, FE, FERC, Law, LNGEconomy, Ed Markey, EIA, environment, export, FE, FERC, Law, LNG, NEPA, review, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

FERC won’t be able to say it doesn’t know anything about LNG exports anymore, with this plan to require FERC environmental assessments before FE authorization. But this does nothing about the FE authorizations aleady granted, including the three at the end of the Transco -> Sabal -> FSC pipeline. A better idea: cancel LNG exports and build solar power instead.

Jennifer A. Dlouhy wrote for Fuelfix 30 May 2014, Winners and losers in feds’ new gas export review plan,

The Energy Department intends to scrap a two-year-old approach for considering applications to export LNG to countries that don’t have free trade agreements with the United States. Instead of reviewing them in the order they were filed, as the agency largely does now, the Energy Department would first tackle those that have already cleared an expensive, time-consuming environmental assessment typically done by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Sen. Ed Markey’s statement of 29 May 2014, Markey Commends DOE Move to Study Impacts of Large-scale Natural Gas Exports, heads in the right direction but doesn’t go far enough: Continue reading LNG export approval pause puts FERC on hook for EIAs →

LNG export to Europe with the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)?

May 23, 2014Economy, Florida, Fracking, Law, LNGEconomy, Europe, export, FPL, Fracking, Free Trade, Hungary, John S. Quarterman, Law, LNG, Poland, Romania, Sabal Trail Transmission, Slovakia, Spectra Energy, SpectraBusters, TAFTA, Transatlantic Free Trade Area, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, TTIP, Ukraine, VietnamJohn S. Quarterman

More “free trade” LNG export destinations from Florida will open up if the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) passes, to the 28 EU member countries:

Many of those countries currently get fracked gas from Russia:

Continue reading →

Where are Floridian LNG and FLiNG Energy?

May 22, 2014Environment, Florida, Hazards, Health, LNG, Martin County, Waterenvironment, export, FLiNG Energy, Florida, Floridian LNG, FPL, Hazards, Health, John S. Quarterman, Lake Okeechobee, LNG, Martin County, PCB, Riviera Beach, SpectraBusters, WaterJohn S. Quarterman

Where is FLiNG Energy and its “partners in Indiantown” that it expects to help it quadruple its LNG capacity in the first quarter of 2016? All along FPL’s pipeline to the sea, and PCBs, too. So convenient for LNG export from the proposed Sabal Trail fracked methane pipeline!

FLiNG Energy lists its contact address as 15328 SW Warfield Blvd. Indiantown, FL 34956. That’s this unassuming storefront that google maps shows with “Indiantown Realty” on the front: Continue reading Where are Floridian LNG and FLiNG Energy? →

Food and Water Watch against LNG exports

May 10, 2014Climate Change, Economy, Fracking, Hazards, Health, LNG, SafetyClimate Change, Economy, Energy and Commerce, Energy and Power, Food and Water Watch, Fracking, Government, H.R. 6, Hazards, Health, House of Representatives, John S. Quarterman, LNG, Safety, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

FWW has been on the case against H.R. 6 that would authorize LNG exports to all WTO member countries since that bill passed the subcommittee in early April, before it passed the main committee April 30th.

Food & Water Watch press release 9 April 2014, House Subcommittee’s Approval of LNG Exports Means More Money for Big Oil and Gas, More Fracking In U.S. Communities: Statement of Food & Water Watch Executive Director, Wenonah Hauter,

Washington, D.C. — “On Wednesday, the U.S. House’s Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy and Power voted in favor of a bill to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) abroad under the guise of aiding Ukraine. But this bill, H.R.6, would only serve to increase profits for the oil and gas industry, greatly accelerating fracking here at home, endangering American communities, public health and the climate. We strongly recommend that both houses of Congress reject any and all plans to export LNG overseas.

“Selling LNG abroad will drive up the industry’s profit margins, ultimately increasing gas prices here in the U.S.. Ramping up fracking in the U.S., Continue reading Food and Water Watch against LNG exports →

Williams fire and explosion near Plymouth, WA 2014-03-31

May 8, 2014Explosion, LNG, Safetyexplosion, John S. Quarterman, LNG, PHMSA, Safety, SpectraBusters, Washington, WilliamsJohn S. Quarterman

A two-mile evacuation ratio around a Williams fracked methane facility in Oregon, and once again a state agency investigates while federal PHMSA does nothing, same near Plymouth, WA, as on Sauvie Island, OR.

Kristi Phil reported for the Tri-City Herald 31 March 2014, UPDATE: Evacuation radius near Plymouth plant to be reduced,

It’s unknown when Plymouth residents will be able to return to their homes after an explosion and fire at a nearby natural gas facility Monday morning triggered fears of a second, larger explosion.

Up to 1,000 residents and agricultural workers were evacuated from a two-mile radius around Northwest Pipeline in south Benton County after the explosion, which caused slow leaks from a massive storage tank and injured five people.

Hazardous materials experts entered the liquefied natural gas facility Monday afternoon for the first time nearly eight hours after the initial explosion and fire inside a building at Northwest Pipeline, a subsidiary of Williams Partners.

Claire Graham and Emily Bowman reported for KNDO 23 and KNDU 25 1 April 2014, Fire and Explosion at Natural Gas Plant near Plymouth,

Pipeline safety investigators from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission are responding Continue reading Williams fire and explosion near Plymouth, WA 2014-03-31 →

What is FERC required to do?

May 5, 2014Economy, Environment, EPA, FERC, Law, LNG, LNGcertificate, DoJ, eminent domain, environment, EPA, FERC, LAS, Law, LNG, NEPA, policy, public benefit, SpectraBustersJohn S. Quarterman

What is FERC required to do to justifiy a pipeline certificate and eminent domain? John Peconom of FERC told me that federal eminent domain was justified by Florida needing the gas, therefore it was for the good of the United States. Peconom didn’t provide a reference, but FERC’s own documents say FERC is supposed to balance public benefits, which means somebody has to demonstrate those public benefits. Also, one-time payments to landowners may not be enough.

In FERC’s own Natural Gas Environmental Guidelines, GUIDANCE MANUAL FOR ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT PREPARATION, Continue reading What is FERC required to do? →