The politics of energy don’t fit neatly on a scorecard but some things are predictable, including legislation to thwart fractivist pipeline obstruction.

Pipeline construction continues to be the prime mover in summer energy news. On Thursday, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection gave Sunoco Logistics permission to restart completion of two of the four remaining unfinished areas of Mariner East 2 pipeline. Work has been suspended since May following the development of sinkholes in Chester County. The pipeline is approximately 98% complete and the DEP is reviewing plans for the final two areas.

On Tuesday, legislation was introduced in Congress to limit the authority of states in the granting of Section 401 Permits under the United States Clean Streams Law. As I’ve written numerous times, this is the mechanism through which governors, led by New York’s Andrew Cuomo, have stopped pipeline construction even after the pipeline has been approved by FERC.

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http://naturalgasnow.org/politics-energy-dont-score-easily-things-predictable/