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Weymouth Compressor Coming Back Online After Apr 6 Shutdown

On April 6 the Weymouth, Mass. compressor station experienced its third “unplanned release” of methane and was shut down (see 3rd “Unplanned Release” of NatGas at Weymouth Compressor Station). The builder and owner, Enbridge, has alerted the state it will likely vent more natural gas between tomorrow and May 5th as it restarts operations at the plant. We’re glad the plant is restarting again. We had our doubts.
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FERC’s Glick Confirms He’s Willing to Shut Down Active Pipelines

Richard “I’ll do what I want to do” Glick

What do you do with someone (actually an entire political party) willing to overturn the legal and binding decisions made in a previous administration? They simply wave their magic leftist wand and undo a project, like a legally permitted compressor station that’s already built and running. Just shut it down. It’s Third World stuff. Yet that’s precisely what Richard “Dick” Glick, Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), says he’s willing to do, justifying his actions by saying he’s somehow “protecting the public.” This is what we warned you would happen in a Joe Biden administration–and now it is.
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Massachusetts U.S. Senators Sponsor Bill to Block NatGas Exports

Talk about using a sledgehammer to kill a fly. The two U.S. Senators from Massachusetts, Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warren and Ed “Lackey” Markey, have reintroduced a bill that would ban the use of compressor stations along natural gas pipelines if those pipelines happen to export some of the gas flowing through them to Canada or Mexico. Do these idiots understand how much gas is imported and exported with Canada and Mexico every single day? That they propose to shut down all of it, simply so they can shut down a single compressor station in Weymouth, Mass., is sick and twisted…
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GOP Senator Questions FERC on Weymouth Compressor Rehearing

Republican U.S. Senators (at least a few) have noticed the alarming situation at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) under new Chairman Richard “Dick” Glick. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Sen. John Barrasso is questioning FERC over its recent decision to reconsider whether or not the Weymouth, Mass. compressor station should have been approved. That’s after the station has been up and running with no problems. It is not right for a new administration to reopen an already-approved (under a different administration) project and threaten to cancel it. It’s not fair nor right in anybody’s book. It’s lawless. Sen. Barrasso tells FERC it has some splainin’ to do.Continue reading

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FERC’s Chatterjee Stabs O&G, Votes Against Weymouth Compressor

Et tu, Brute? Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Commissioner Neil Chatterjee, a Republican who used to work for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, is showing his true swamp-dwelling colors. On Tuesday Chatterjee voted against several critical natural gas projects (ones he voted in favor of previously), including a vote against allowing the Weymouth, MA compressor station, fully built, tested and ready to start, to begin operations.
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Fed Court: Weymouth Compressor Can Keep State Permit

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, located in Massachusetts, has ruled that Enbridge, builder of the Weymouth compressor station, can keep a previously-issued state permit for the station, a permit that allows it to operate. This is the final humiliation and defeat of rabid anti-fossil fuelers who dedicated themselves to blocking the plant.
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Emergency Shutdown at Weymouth Compressor During Initial Test

Last week MDN told you that Enbridge had begun testing its Weymouth, Massachusetts compressor station project, the final piece of the company’s $452 million Atlantic Bridge expansion project (see Weymouth, MA Compressor Stn Begins Testing, Coming Online Soon). As sometimes happens when you begin testing, there was a problem. A gasket failure led to an unplanned release of 265,000 cubic feet of gas Friday morning. Workers at the site triggered an emergency shutdown.
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Weymouth, MA Compressor Stn Begins Testing, Coming Online Soon

Enbridge’s Weymouth compressor station project, the final piece of the $452 million Atlantic Bridge expansion project, has begun testing in preparation to go online. As part of the testing, the station will, on occasion, release a small amount of (gasp!) natural gas into the air. Run for the hills! Get out while you can!
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Fed Court Restores Weymouth, MA Compressor Permit – For Now

In early June an Obamadroid federal judge vacated a permit for the Weymouth compressor station, the last piece of Spectra Energy/Enbridge’s Atlantic Bridge pipeline project–a project which took years to build (see Obama Judge Overturns Air Permit for Weymouth, MA Compressor Stn). Even so, Enbridge kept on building the plant (see Weymouth Compressor Continues Construction Despite Judge’s Ruling). It’s a good thing Enbridge kept building because a panel of judges from the same court (First Circuit Court of Appeals) yesterday reversed the earlier decision. The court said the permit is reinstated (at least for now) because Enbridge will likely win its lawsuit to complete the project.
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Weymouth Compressor Continues Construction Despite Judge’s Ruling

Weymouth compressor station construction (credit: Patriot Ledger)

The Weymouth compressor station is the last piece of Spectra Energy/Enbridge’s Atlantic Bridge pipeline project–a project which took years to build. In July 2019 the Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection (DEP) granted an air permit for the final piece, the Weymouth compressor station (see Mass. DEP Issues Air Permit for Weymouth Compressor Station). Last month (a full year later!), Obama Judge William Kayatta from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit overturned the state permit, telling the DEP to do it all over again (see Obama Judge Overturns Air Permit for Weymouth, MA Compressor Stn). We’re delighted to see the judge’s ruling has not stopped construction on the project.
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Obama Judge Overturns Air Permit for Weymouth, MA Compressor Stn

Activist Obamadroid Judge

The radical environmental activism of the dark Obama years continues to live on via our corrupted court system. After years of delays caused by colluding Big Green groups, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) finally green-lighted construction of a compressor station in Weymouth, Mass. late last year (see Stop Press! Enbridge to Begin Construction on Weymouth Compressor). And indeed, construction began in December with antis trying to block it (see 2 Dozen Antis Protest at Weymouth Compressor Site – 4 Arrested). Now a federal judge appointed by Lord Barack Hussein Obama has overturned a state permit for the project, a permit issued nearly a year ago.
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NRC Rules AIM NatGas Pipe Near NYC Nuke Plant is Safe, Antis Mad

Spectra Energy’s Algonquin Incremental Market (AIM) pipeline project is an $876 million expansion of the existing Algonquin pipeline system designed to carry 342 million cubic feet of natural gas per day to New England states that badly need the gas. On March 3, 2015, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued its final approval for the project, allowing the project to go forward. Construction began in 2015 and, following extreme opposition from New York State over a small portion of the project, it finally went online in 2016.
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2 Dozen Antis Protest at Weymouth Compressor Site – 4 Arrested

Weymouth protesters block entrance to compressor site (Credit: Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Earlier this week MDN told you the great news that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has green lighted construction of a compressor station in Weymouth, Mass., and that Enbridge (the builder) said they will begin construction any day now (see Stop Press! Enbridge to Begin Construction on Weymouth Compressor). Indeed, crews are at the site getting things ready, and that brought out “more than two dozen” (according to a CBS report) anti-fossil fuel protesters. Some of the protesters couldn’t help themselves and tripped over into committing a crime by blocking the entrance to the facility so crews could not come and go with equipment. Typical.
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Stop Press! Enbridge to Begin Construction on Weymouth Compressor

WOW, what a reversal of fortune! Barely a month ago MDN told you that two natural gas utility companies, National Grid and Eversource, had cut the legs out from under Enbridge by declaring they no longer need the Weymouth (Mass.) compressor station to supply them with incrementally more natural gas supplies for the Greater Boston area (see 2 Utilities Cut Enbridge Off at Knees re Mass. Compressor Station). The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on Black Friday granted Enbridge a final go-ahead to begin construction anyway. Christmas came early!
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2 Utilities Cut Enbridge Off at Knees re Mass. Compressor Station

With friends like these, who needs enemies? Two utility companies–National Grid and Eversource, both operating in Massachusetts–are the primary customers for the gas that flows through the Spectra Energy/Enbridge Atlantic Bridge pipeline project. The last piece of that project is to build a compressor station in Weymouth, MA. National Grid and Eversource now say the Weymouth compressor is not necessary–they have enough gas without it. Thanks guys! You just screwed Enbridge royally.
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Mass. Sens. Markey & Warren Intro Bill Blocking Weymouth Compressor

Talk about disingenuous political posturing by a couple of pompous windbags. Massachusetts’ two U.S. Senators, Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warren and Ed “Lackey” Markey have introduced a bill in Congress to block the construction of a single pipeline compressor station–slated to be built in Weymouth, Mass. They even made up a catchy name for their bill: the “Community Outreach, Maintenance, and Preservation by Restricting Export Stations from Subverting Our Regulations Act.” Or “COMPRESSOR Act” for short. What childish dopes.
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