We have been waiting for this day for a LONG time. Yesterday the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order to Rover Pipeline allowing Rover to restart all outstanding underground horizontal directional drilling (HDD) projects, including the location at Tuscarawas River. All Rover HDD projects were stopped back in April following a string of “inadvertent returns” (i.e. leaks) of drilling mud, the most serious being a ~2 million gallon spill at the Tuscarawas River HDD location (see Rover Pipeline Accident Spills ~2M Gal. Drilling Mud in OH Swamp). Several months after stopping Rover HDD work, following investigations and corrective action, FERC slowly began to allow Rover to restart HDD work in some (not all) locations. There have been perhaps 4-5 tranches of “go ahead and restart HDD work at these couple of locations.” But until yesterday, Rover could not restart HDD at the location of the worst spill site, near the Tuscarawas River. With yesterday’s order, all sites are cleared. Craig “Captain Ahab” Butler, director of the Ohio EPA, blew a gasket. He’s still trying to harpoon the Rover “Moby Dick” Pipeline as it travels through Ohio. A few weeks ago Butler asked Rover (and FERC) to STOP all HDD work (see Ohio EPA Continues Vendetta Against Rover Pipe, Demands HDD Stop). A few days later Rover asked FERC for permission to restart the balance of their HDD work (see Rover Ignores Shrill Ohio EPA, Asks FERC to Continue HDD Drilling). On Monday, Rover sent a letter to Butler (and FERC) saying Ohio EPA “grossly mischaracterizes Rover’s activities.” Yesterday FERC very loudly and clearly ignored Butler and sided with Rover…
