FERC Fails to Rule on Transco Northeast Expansion Pipe Project
Here’s something you won’t read on any other news or blog site: Yesterday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) failed to issue a final certificate to build and operate the Williams Transco Regional Energy Access Expansion project. The project is vital for delivering more Pennsylvania Marcellus gas to New Jersey and beyond. Williams CEO Alan Armstrong, in a strongly-worded letter to FERC Chairman Richard “Dick” Glick in November, warned the project is in jeopardy if it doesn’t get a certificate now, this year (see Williams CEO Pressures FERC’s Glick to Approve NE Pipe Expansion NOW). FERC-watchers predicted the certificate would be issued at yesterday’s final FERC meeting of the year (see FERC Ready to Rule on Spire STL Cert & Transco Northeast Expansion). Spire STL pipeline got its certificate (see today’s lead story), but Williams’ Northeast Expansion did not.
Read More “FERC Fails to Rule on Transco Northeast Expansion Pipe Project”


Two days ago, MDN brought you the news that U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, from West Virginia, would make one more attempt to “shock” his permitting reform bill (that would allow the Mountain Valley Pipeline to finish up more quickly) into life once again (see 
Last week MDN told you that U.S. Senator Joe Manchin’s latest attempt to pass a so-called permitting reform bill (that would save Mountain Valley Pipeline as part of the bargain) had once again crashed and burned (see
In 2020, EOG Resources, one of the largest oil and gas drillers in the U.S. (with international operations in Trinidad and China), sold *all* of its Marcellus assets, which were located in Bradford County, PA, to Tilden Resources for $130 million (see
On Friday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will hold its last meeting of 2022. It appears it will be the very last meeting for FERC Chairman Richard “Dick” Glick, who has been blocked from receiving a reappointment hearing by WV Sen. Joe Manchin. Without a hearing, Glick will be forced to step down after this year. Blocking Glick is about the only thing Manchin has done right this year. At any rate, at Friday’s meeting, the five (soon to be four) FERC commissioners will vote on a variety of issues. Two of the issues (projects) are vital to the Marcellus/Utica: a new certificate for the Spire STL Pipeline to continue operating, and a certificate to allow the Williams Transco Regional Energy Access Expansion project to proceed.
In March, MDN told you that the Deputy Chief Administrative Law Judge of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) issued a ruling against the now completed Mariner East 2 pipeline project, assessing a $51,000 fine on the project for work done near an apartment complex (see
On Wednesday, Congressional House Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (Republican from Arkansas) and U.S. Reps. Tom Tiffany (Republican from Wisconsin) and Pete Stauber (Republican from Minnesota) sent a letter signed by 24 House members to both the House and Senate Appropriations (i.e. spending money) committees. The letter requests that any year-end funding package prohibits federal funding for the listing of the northern long-eared bat as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
From time to time, we bring you news about hydrogen (H2) because, for many, H2 is the next “big thing” in energy. Many on the left are dazzled by H2 energy, although some of the more extreme elements of the left oppose H2 energy because most H2 is produced by cracking methane (see
Once again, a permitting reform bill floated by U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (from West Virginia) with a provision to complete the 94% completed 303-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) has flamed out. Manchin made a deal with the devil–his own Democrat Party–to vote for the misnamed and terrible Inflation Reduction Act (a warmed-over version of the Green New Deal) in return for HIS party’s support to pass a so-called permitting reform bill that would, among other things, allow MVP to finish up without court interference (see
And just like that, the horse everyone thought was dead has come back to life and is leading the race. We’re talking about U.S. Senator Joe Manchin’s so-called permitting reform bill to help save the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP). The bill proposed by Manchin would bypass the clown judges on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals who are blocking it. Manchin got a pledge from his buddy Chuck Schumer to allow a vote on permitting reform in return for Manchin selling out the country by voting to pass the misnamed Inflation Reduction Act (see
This one came right out of left field, and we didn’t see it coming. Totally unexpected. Yesterday, outgoing U.S. Senator Pat Toomey, from Pennsylvania, introduced a bill to reform pipeline permitting. The bill specifically approves and would push through final construction for Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), a pipeline that doesn’t even touch PA (it starts in Wetzel County, WV, and ends in Pittsylvania County, VA). The bill was concurrently introduced in the House by Congressman Mike Kelly, also from PA. Weird. Does this bill stand even a remote chance of passing before Congress adjourns and the next Congress takes over in early January?
A group of 40 so-called environmental groups (all of them leftist radicals) is doing its best to defeat the 94% completed Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project. The groups sent a letter yesterday to officials at the U.S. Dept. of Interior, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), asking those agencies to stretch out the process of granting new permits (for the THIRD time) to complete MVP by as long as possible. The radicals want a 30-day public scoping period, for starters, so they can repeat their lies once again. They’ve already had their say multiple times for many months–they don’t need another 30-day slot now.