Tennessee Gas Pipeline

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Skeptical MA Farmers Hear From/Talk To Kinder about TGP Expansion
December 5, 2014December 5, 2014

The Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation is holding its annual two-day convention yesterday and today at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. One of the talks yesterday was given by reps from Kinder Morgan, to talk about the proposed expansion of the Tennessee Gas Pipeline through (now) only part of Massachusetts. What can farmers expect if the Northeast Energy Direct (NED) project cuts across their land? Even though 90% of the pipeline will track with an existing power line right-of-way, how deep will the pipeline be buried? How much of a right-of-way will be required? What about trees? Those questions and more were addressed…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Pipelines | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

Anti-Pipeline Arguments in New Hampshire Debunked by MDN Reader
December 1, 2014December 1, 2014

A conservative and a liberal get into a discussion at a local landfill about a plan to run a new pipeline through their state…. Sound like the setup to a joke? It’s no laughing matter. MDN subscriber Rick G. from New Hampshire recently had such an encounter. The arguments Rick heard from those opposed to the Kinder Morgan pipeline, and his counter arguments, are instructive for us all…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Pipelines | Regulation | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

Kinder Morgan Changes Route for Pipeline from MA to NH
November 25, 2014November 25, 2014

Kinder Morgan has, for some time, been locked in a battle with far-left anti-fossil fuelers in Massachusetts who oppose KM’s plan to extend the Tennessee Gas Pipeline across the width of the state in an attempt to deliver cheap, abundant, clean-burning Marcellus Shale natural gas to New England. Those same anti-fossil fuelers use fossil fuels throughout the day every day of their lives, but fail to see the hypocrisy in their twisted position. Pressure against the pipeline, called Northeast Energy Direct (or NED) is mounting as both MA U.S. Senators–both are Democrat–oppose it (see Both Mass. Senators Oppose TGP Northeast Energy Direct Pipeline). Two weeks ago KM proposed an alternate route (see map below). The alternate route, now said to be the preferred route, will shave off something like half of the distance the pipeline stretches across MA and instead chart a course northward–through southern New Hampshire–following the route of an existing power line. The cool thing? NH wants it…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Pipelines | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

KM Takes on Minority Partner in Northeast Energy Direct Pipeline
November 25, 2014November 25, 2014

More Tennessee Gas Pipeline – Northeast Energy Direct (NED) news today. Aside from today’s companion story today that Kinder Morgan (KM) is seriously considering a route change for the pipeline–away from Massachusetts and into New Hampshire–a second bit of important news. KM has cut a deal with Canadian-based utility company Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. to invest in the NED project. KM is selling off up to a 10% ownership in the NED project to Algonquin in return for an investment of up to $400 million…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Pipelines | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

The Urgent Case for Gas Pipelines in New England
November 5, 2014November 5, 2014

Right now natural gas in Japan is costing around $18 per thousand cubic feet. All gas in Japan is imported. In New England? Gas futures trading for January 2015–the price utilities and others will pay based on contracts for January–is $19 per thousand cubic feet. New England is located just a few hundred miles from the most abundant source of natural gas on earth–the Marcellus Shale–where sometimes the price of gas goes below $2 per thousand cubic feet. What in the world is going on? Lack of pipelines to bring the gas from the Marcellus to New England. With many people on fixed incomes facing a jump of $40 per month or more in higher electricity prices (electricity in New England is largely created by natural gas-powered plants), it seems a bit silly to oppose projects like Kinder Morgan’s Northeast Energy Direct expansion of the Tennessee Gas Pipeline, no?…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Pipelines | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

MDN is Outraged at Massachusetts Anti-Pipeline Outrage
October 29, 2014October 29, 2014

We’re outraged at the outrage of hypocritical anti-drillers. An article from Massachusetts begins this way: “Gas pipeline opponents throughout the state of Massachusetts are outraged about a new pipeline support coalition that has formed because the group not only has ties to the company trying to put the pipeline in place, but is also putting big businesses before residential concerns.” That set us off! Here’s what we’re outraged about…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Pipelines | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

Union Calls Sen. Markey/Warren Pipeline Opposition “Vulgar”
October 28, 2014October 28, 2014

Last week MDN told you that both Massachusetts U.S Senators–Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren–have turned against Kinder Morgan and their planned expansion of the Tennessee Gas Pipeline across the state (see Both Mass. Senators Oppose TGP Northeast Energy Direct Pipeline). Both Senators are, unsurprisingly, Democrats. So it was with some surprise that we noticed a schism among the Democrats on the pipeline. The Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) is calling comments by Markey and Warren to FERC “a vulgar attempt to politicize our nation’s energy regulatory agencies.” Them’s fightin’ words–especially coming from a normally Democrat stronghold (a labor union). Here’s some even stronger words from LIUNA…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Pipelines | Regulation | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

Deerfield MA “Bans” Kinder Morgan TGP Pipeline – Or So They Claim
October 24, 2014October 24, 2014

In September MDN pointed out the antics of the silly nutters in the Town of Deerfield, Massachusetts. The county Board of Health claims they have “unlimited power” to stop the Tennessee Gas Pipeline from coming through their township, if they decide to exercise their impressive (super) powers (see MA Town Health Board Claims “Unlimited Power” to Stop TGP). They’ve just decided to exercise those “powers.” In a breathtakingly bold (and stupid) move, they’ve served notice to Kinder Morgan that all construction on the proposed TGP pipeline in their town is forthwith banned. Of course, according to law, only the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has the power to authorize (or not) the pipeline through Deerfield–but why spoil a really good acid trip flashback for the old hippies behind this nonsense? Lawlessness is very fashionable these days…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Pipelines | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

Both Mass. Senators Oppose TGP Northeast Energy Direct Pipeline
October 23, 2014October 23, 2014

Looks like Kinder Morgan will continue to have an uphill battle to get permission to build an extension to the Tennessee Gas Pipeline that crosses the state of Massachusetts to bring cheap Marcellus gas to New England. When the $6 billion project that would upgrade TGP in many states and build 177 miles of new pipe across Massachusetts was announced earlier this year, we were mystified that the response was muted to mildly positive (see Reaction to TGP’s Planned Pipeline Across Massachusetts). It took a few months, but the anti-drillers eventually crawled out of the woodwork to begin bashing away at the project (see NIMBYism Becomes NOMEism in MA Over Kinder Gas Pipeline). Now, both U.S. Senators from Massachusetts, along with other leading state Democrat politicians, are lining up against what is now called the TGP Northeast Energy Direct project…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Pipelines | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

Kinder Morgan Sweet Talks Maine to Support Mass. Pipeline
September 19, 2014September 19, 2014

Here’s an interesting move by Kinder Morgan. On Wednesday, KM issued a press release (below) that they’ve filed an “historic” proposal with the Maine Public Utilities Commission offering the State of Maine a long-term contract for natural gas pipeline capacity with the goal of lowering overall energy costs for Maine consumers. This is the same pipeline, an expansion of the mightly Tennessee Gas Pipeline (TGP), that KM plans to build across the state of Massachusetts. According to the KM proposal, Maine can purchase up to 200 million cubic feet of natural gas per day from the new pipeline, when/if built, and virtually solve the problem of high electric and gas rates in Maine forevermore. KM already has 63% of the expanded TGP pipeline capacity spoken for (see Kinder Signs up New Customers for MA Pipeline, 63% of Capacity). Looks like they’re trying to fill the rest of the dance card by getting Maine (and a few others) on board. KM’s announcement on Wednesday also included a notice that they’ve done a pre-filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on the Pennsylvania portion of the Northeast Energy Direct project, as the pipeline expansion project is called…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Regulation | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

MA Town Health Board Claims “Unlimited Power” to Stop TGP
September 15, 2014September 15, 2014

Who knew the U.S. Constitution had a clause in it that grants the Deerfield, Massachusetts town health board “unlimited power” to do what they want to do. That’s what Cristobal Bonifaz, a lawyer from Conway, MA, is claiming. Even though the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, according to federal law, is the sole agency charged with granting or withholding permission on interstate pipelines, Bonifaz says the Deerfield health board has “unlimited power” to do what they want, and he’s volunteering to be their attorney in attempting to stop the expansion of the Tennessee Gas Pipeline through the township. How?…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Pipelines | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

Kinder Signs up New Customers for MA Pipeline, 63% of Capacity
August 1, 2014August 1, 2014

Early this year Kinder Morgan, the country’s largest midstream (pipeline and processing plant) company, announced they will expand their Tennessee Gas Pipeline across the state of Massachusetts to bring abundant, cheap Marcellus Shale gas to New England where the gas is desperately needed (see Reaction to TGP’s Planned Pipeline Across Massachusetts). The project, originally called the Northeast Expansion Project, was recently renamed to be the Northeast Energy Direct Project. Survey work has already begun (see Survey Work Already Begun on Kinder Morgan TGP Expansion Thru MA). Also already begun is the hunt for customers. Kinder Morgan held an open season and now has more than half of the initial capacity of the new pipeline spoken for…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Pipelines | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

What’s Really in the Crosshairs in New England?
July 28, 2014July 28, 2014

The headline for a story in the Worcester (MA) Telegram & Gazette blares, “Natural gas pipeline expansion has Worcester and surrounding communities in crosshairs.” Yes, bet you didn’t know that those dastardly pipelines, like the Tennessee Gas Pipeline with its plan to deliver much-needed natural gas to New England, “targets” communities. You know, like a gun? Bang bang. That’s how environmentalist wacko editors write headlines. If you read far enough down in the Worcester story you’ll find a sad bit of news: comedian Bill Cosby is against the pipeline expansion (comes too close to his multi-million dollar estate, apparently). It’s not shocking that a celebrity is completely ignorant about such an issue–happens all the time (a la Susan Sarandon and Yoko Ono’s infamous fossil-fuel belching bus tour of Susquehanna County, PA, see Looney Toons Anti-Fracking Celebrities Visit Montrose, PA). What is shocking, however, is the massive willful ignorance of a former member of the Bolton Conservation Commission who says he doesn’t think natural gas is any cleaner than coal for generating electricity. Looks like he’s been “Howarthed” into believing a fairly tale…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Pipelines | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

Survey Work Already Begun on Kinder Morgan TGP Expansion Thru MA
July 10, 2014July 10, 2014

MDN has chronicled Kinder Morgan’s Tennessee Gas Pipeline expansion through Massachusetts to bring badly needed new natural gas supplies to New England. The governors of six New England states (5 Democrats, 1 Republican) want that pipeline–bad (see Blue State Blues: 6 New England States Want New Natgas Pipeline). In fact, the Democrat governor of Massachusetts wants it bad. But some MA communities, like that run by the mob-like town manager of Andover, MA, aren’t thrilled with the plan (see Lib MA Town Tells Tenn. Gas Pipeline: Stay Outta Town!). Seems that Kinder reps were rumored to be contacting landowners around Andover for permission to come on the property to survey. A town meeting in Erving, MA on Tuesday brings us new news about the Kinder TGP project–surveying has already begun…
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Electrical Generation | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

Officials: New England Faces Blackouts Without New Nagas Pipeline
July 2, 2014July 2, 2014

Listen up Massachusetts anti-drillers who don’t want Kinder Morgan’s Tennessee Gas Pipeline expansion running through your backyard (see Small Group in Ashfield, MA Vote to Oppose Kinder’s TGP Pipeline). Without that pipeline, you’re faced with impending blackouts. No electricity. For extended periods. And that’s according to the Rhode Island Office of Energy Resources. At a joint meeting held in Manchaster, NH on Monday, officials warned that although there were no blackouts this past winter (a very brutal winter in New England), “That doesn’t mean that they can’t.”…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Kinder Morgan | Pipelines | Tennessee Gas Pipeline

Small Group in Ashfield, MA Vote to Oppose Kinder’s TGP Pipeline
June 25, 2014June 25, 2014

An anti-driller from Ashfield, MA says she wants her chance to stand in front of a Kinder Morgan bulldozer to try and stop the proposed Tennessee Gas Pipeline expansion from coming through their town. We sincerely hope she gets the opportunity. 🙂 Some 200 “voters” who are virulent anti-drillers packed an Ashfield town meeting to vote in favor of two resolutions against the proposed Kinder Morgan TGP pipeline (for background, see Reaction to TGP’s Planned Pipeline Across Massachusetts). The Democrat governor of Massachusetts and the governors of five other New England states want and desperately need that pipeline (see Blue State Blues: 6 New England States Want New Natgas Pipeline). But true to form, at least some towns along the proposed route, including Ashfield, have revived the old hippie brigade to begin a round of new protests (gives their lives a little purpose, a chance to relive the glory years of the 60s)…
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