In an effort to avoid more New York DEC stall tactics, Millennium asks FERC to issue the Notice to Proceed so the pipeline can be completed on time.

On Aug. 30, the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued a letter to FERC and Millennium Pipeline denying Millennium’s request for a water permit to build a 7.8 mile pipeline spur from the main Millennium Pipeline to a natural gas power plant under construction in Orange County. In their rejection, the DEC claimed that FERC’s review of the power plant project (that the pipeline will feed) is deficient based on a recently-decided court case about a pipeline project in Florida. Since the project the pipeline would feed is deficient (in DEC’s view), so too is the pipeline that feeds it.

A few weeks later, in September, FERC fired back by overruling NY DEC and granting the project permission to proceed without NY approval. On Friday (Oct.) the 13th, the DEC filed a petition for rehearing with FERC, the first step in a situation that is sure to end up in court. The DEC wants FERC to hold up on any further action with the pipeline project until their appeal is heard.

Read more:

http://naturalgasnow.org/millennium-goes-war-dec-asks-ferc-overrule/