New York

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    NGSA, API Take Aim at New York’s Plan to Favor Nukes over NatGas

    It seems like since Donald Trump was elected, the far-left loons of the Democrat Party have become unhinged. Nowhere is that more apparent than New York State, with it’s corrupt governor, Andrew Cuomo. When it comes to oversight of the nation’s electric grid, and interstate pipeline infrastructure, the law is clear: The federal government, specifically the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, is numero uno. Individual states cannot just willy-nilly decide they will horn in on how energy companies are incentivized–and they cannot use regulations to change the nature of power generation within their borders, because of the interconnected nature of electric power. Yet that is precisely what the lawless Cuomo is attempting to do in the Empire State. Via the NY Public Service Commission, Cuomo has set up a program called the Zero Emissions Credits (ZEC) program to subsidize nuclear power at the expense of fossil fuels, like natural gas. He’s trying to make it uncompetitive and expensive for natural gas to generate electricity in the state. An industry group sued to overturn ZEC, but a liberal judge for the US District Court for southern New York stuck up for Cuomo’s cockamamie plan (no surprise there). The case has been appealed and the Natural Gas Supply Association and American Petroleum Institute filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting the appeal against ZEC. It’s a loooong brief–40 pages. We have it below…
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    Millennium Raises Stakes Against NY, Asks FERC to Begin Pipe Work

    On Aug. 30, the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued a letter to FERC and Millennium Pipeline denying Millennium’s request for a water permit to build a 7.8 mile pipeline spur from the main Millennium Pipeline to a natural gas power plant under construction in Orange County (see Corrupt NY DEC Denies Water Permit for 7.8 Mile Power Plant Pipeline). In their rejection, the DEC claimed that FERC’s review of the power plant project (that the pipeline will feed) is deficient based on a recently-decided court case about a pipeline project in Florida. Since the project the pipeline would feed is deficient (in DEC’s view), so too is the pipeline that feeds it. A few weeks later, in September, FERC fired back by overruling NY DEC and granting the project permission to proceed without NY approval (see History Made! FERC Overrules NY DEC on Millennium Pipe Permit). On Friday (Oct.) the 13th, the DEC filed a petition for rehearing with FERC, the first step in a situation that is sure to end up in court (see NY DEC Appeals FERC Override of Millennium Pipe Decision). The DEC wants FERC to hold up on any further action with the pipeline project until their appeal is heard. Millennium doesn’t want to wait. In an escalation of its now outright war against the DEC, Millennium filed a request last Friday requesting FERC proceed by issuing a Notice to Proceed with construction of the pipeline. It needs to get built and completed by February, in time to begin flowing natural gas to the electric generating plant that is under construction and will be done by then…
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    NY Appeals Court Denies Constitution Pipe Motion for Rehearing

    The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (in liberal New York) has refused to re-hear the case against New York’s corrupt Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for its arbitrary and capricious refusal to grant a water crossing permit to Williams’ Constitution Pipeline. In August MDN brought you the sad news that the Second Circuit ruled against the Constitution Pipeline and their lawsuit against the Cuomo-corrupted DEC (see Court Rejects Constitution Pipe’s Case Against NY DEC; Now What?). On Sept. 1st Constitution filed a request for a rehearing at the Second Circuit (see Not Lights Out for Constitution Pipe Just Yet – Rehearing Request). Last week the court responded loud and clear: NO. By our reckoning Constitution has one card left to play, and they played it a few weeks ago: Request the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to overrule NY DEC because the DEC took more than a year to deliver its rejection of the permit (see Constitution Pipeline Asks FERC to Override NY DEC). If FERC does grant Constitution’s request to overrule the DEC, you can expect a legal challenge from the corrupt Cuomo machine. That’s how it works in dictatorships like New York…
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    Empire State Showdown: The NatGas Battle For New York

    Marcellus Drilling News began in early 2009 after editor Jim Willis noticed an article in the Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin detailing how a group of farmers in Broome County (near where Jim lives) had become overnight millionaires after signing leases with XTO Energy–to allow shale drilling on and under their land. Jim was stumped. He had never heard of gas drilling in the Southern Tier of New York, nor had he heard of XTO Energy. The issue of shale drilling appeared to be an interesting issue, full of technology, politics and money. Sounds like the makings of a soap opera! And what a soap it has been since that time–at least in New York State. Jim has followed the ups and downs (mostly downs) of attempting to launch shale drilling in the Empire State. When Andrew Cuomo was first elected governor, it appeared that he would (eventually) allow fracking. Now? He won’t even allow the state’s environmental agency to approve major interstate pipelines–projects most residents were unaware of just a few short years ago. Natural Gas Intelligence (NGI) ace reporter Jamison Cocklin recently wrote an in-depth series of articles focusing on New York and what’s happening with the gas industry in the state. It was/is an EXCELLENT series of articles. NGI has assembled the series, along with extra information, into a 16-page Special Report titled, “Empire State Showdown: The NatGas Battle for New York.” Below is a description of the report, with information about how you can download a copy…
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    Clean Energy Breaks Ground on CNG Fueling Station in the Bronx

    Andrew J. Littlefair, president and CEO of Clean Energy Fuels; Mark Riley, vice president, Clean Energy; Spiro Kattan, DSNY; and Steve Tufo, Baldor Food Transportation Manager, participate in the groundbreaking of Clean Energy’s Bronx, NY. CNG station.

    Yesterday Clean Energy Fuels, the City of New York and various community leaders (i.e. politicians) held a ground-breaking ceremony to launch work on what will be the very first compressed natural gas (CNG) station in the Bronx. According to the Clean Energy press release: “The use of natural gas fuel, produced domestically in North America, reduces greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by up to 21 percent versus diesel and gasoline. Using natural gas is one of the ways New York City can meet its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent the next few decades.” The New York City Department of Transportation said it is “proud to be part of this unique groundbreaking, which will benefit the Hunts Point community and all of New York City.” So why does New York’s corrupt governor, Andrew Cuomo, continue to block pipelines that will bring greenhouse gas-reducing natural gas that benefits all communities to MDN’s beloved home state? Yesterday we told you about an upcoming hearing to discuss two natural gas-fired electric microgrids coming to Albany (see Public Hearing Next Wk on Albany, NY Fracked Gas-Fired Electric Plant). Now we read of this CNG fueling station coming in the Bronx. Where will all of the gas come from to feed these projects without new pipelines? Here’s the good news from Clean Energy about the Bronx CNG station…
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    Public Hearing Next Wk on Albany, NY Fracked Gas-Fired Electric Plant

    In May MDN brought you the news that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo had announced plans to construct a new “state-of-the-art, locally-sourced mini-power grid” that will connect to the statewide electric grid but will also be able to operate independently, to power the Empire State Plaza in Albany–a complex of buildings in downtown Albany housing much of New York State government (see NY Gov Cuomo Building New Fracked Gas Elec Plant to Power Albany!). The energy-efficient microgrid will supply 90% of the power for the 98-acre downtown Albany complex, and is expected to save the Plaza more than $2.7 million in annual energy costs. The project will also remove more than 25,600 tons of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere each year–the equivalent of taking more than 4,900 cars off the road–supporting New York’s goal to reduce emissions by 40 percent by 2030 from 1990 levels. The fuel that will power this engineering marvel? Fracked shale gas from the Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale. Yep. Cuomo is a disgusting hypocrite. He won’t allow pipelines to bring in fracked gas, but he’s building a microgrid to power state government that uses that same fracked gas. Next Wednesday, Oct. 25, the NY State Power Authority and the Office of General Services will host a public information meeting to discuss the microgrid. There will no discussion of IF the plant gets built because Dictator-in-Chief Cuomo has decreed it. The meeting will be to parcel out details to the hoi polloi, so the little folk know what to (shut up and) expect…
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    Billionaire Fracker Terry Pegula #160 on Forbes 400 Richest List

    Terry Pegula

    Terry Pegula is a billionaire who owns both the Buffalo Sabres (NHL hockey team) and the Buffalo Bills (NFL football team). Pegula is the owner of East Resources, once a big driller (and holder of acreage) in the Marcellus Shale. Pegula sold off East’s Marcellus assets and used the money, in part, to buy the Buffalo Bills in 2014, which gave rise to MDN calling the team “the Marcellus Bills”–since it was Marcellus money that kept the team in Buffalo, instead of moving to another market (see Buffalo Bills Stay in Buffalo, Thanks to $1.4B of Marcellus Money and Buffalo “Marcellus” Bills – Team Sold to Fracker for $1.4B). Yes, “dirty” fracking money saved the Bills! After selling all of East’s Marcellus assets, Pegula still had an itch to frack, so he started up a new company, JKLM, in order to keep his finger in the Marcellus/Utica pie. JKLM is, as we reported in July, fracking 12 Utica wells in Potter County, PA this year (see JKLM Drilling 12 Utica Wells in Potter County, PA This Year). Fracking is what made Pegula rich. We found it interesting that he made the Forbes 400–a list of the 400 richest people in the United States. Pegula was one of only four people who call Upstate New York home to appear on the list. Here is Pegula’s entry for the list…
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    NY DEC Appeals FERC Override of Millennium Pipe Decision

    The Andrew Cuomo-corrupted New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on Friday filed an appeal/challenge with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) contesting FERC’s recent ruling that essentially emasculates the DEC regarding their rejection of a tiny pipeline project in Orange County, NY. On Aug. 30, the DEC issued a letter to FERC and Millennium Pipeline denying Millennium’s request for a water permit to build a 7.8 mile pipeline spur from the main Millennium Pipeline to a natural gas power plant under construction in Orange County (see Corrupt NY DEC Denies Water Permit for 7.8 Mile Power Plant Pipeline). In their rejection, the DEC claimed that FERC’s review of the power plant project (that the pipeline will feed) is deficient based on a recently-decided court case about a pipeline project in Florida. Since the project the pipeline would feed is deficient (in DEC’s view), so too is the pipeline that feeds it. A few weeks later, in September, FERC fired back by overruling NY DEC and granting the project permission to proceed without NY approval (see History Made! FERC Overrules NY DEC on Millennium Pipe Permit). The DEC is now contesting that move, filing a petition for rehearing with FERC, which is the first step. If FERC decides to not reopen the case, the DEC will then file a lawsuit with the Court of Appeals. In their rehearing request, the DEC asks (begs, pleads) FERC that while this process is under way, the agency should not issue permission for Millennium to begin construction of the pipeline. Construction is urgently needed because the natural gas-fired electric plant the pipeline is supposed to feed will be done in early 2018. It will be interesting to see if FERC decides to snub the DEC (which we think/hope they will)…
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    Constitution Pipeline Asks FERC to Override NY DEC

    The Andrew Cuomo-corrupted New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) took more than two years to evaluate and eventually reject the Constitution Pipeline–a $683 million, 124-mile pipeline from Susquehanna County, PA to Schoharie County, NY to move Marcellus gas (see NY Gov. Cuomo Refuses to Grant Permits for Constitution Pipeline). Constitution went to court to overturn that decision, but ultimately failed in August (see Court Rejects Constitution Pipe’s Case Against NY DEC; Now What?). Many analysts and lawyers believed it was lights out for the project (see Energy Attorneys Hint it’s ‘Lights Out’ for Constitution Pipeline). Hold your horses! Constitution, borrowing a strategy that worked for Millennium Pipeline, filed a request last week with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), asking FERC to overrule the DEC’s refusal to grant the water permit needed for the project. There is precedence. FERC recently did the same thing in another case (see History Made! FERC Overrules NY DEC on Millennium Pipe Permit). Constitution is on firm ground. The DEC took over two years to review the project. Statutorily the DEC only has one year to complete a review. It was on that same basis that FERC granted Millennium permission to build their project (review was too long), and Constitution is hoping FERC will now do the same for them…
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    Dividing Line: Role of NatGas in NE PA vs. NY’s Southern Tier

    MDN editor Jim Willis lives right on the dividing line between New York and Pennsylvania–in the Binghamton, NY area (on the wrong side of the line). Pennsylvania, on the right side of the dividing line, has embraced shale drilling, and enormous economic benefits have flowed to communities where it happens. Cabot Oil & Gas alone (just one company) has spent over $4.6 billion in the last 10 years in Susquehanna County, PA (see Amazing: Cabot O&G Invests $4.6 BILLION in One PA County in 10 Yrs). Meanwhile, NOTHING is spent just over the border, in Broome, Chenango, Otsego and other Southern Tier counties on the New York (wrong) side of the border. It is a heartbreaking tale. Back in 2014 the Buffalo News ran a story comparing two farmers, one on each side of the border, to illustrate how the shale revolution has changed NEPA (see PA Farmers Flourish Thanks to Marcellus While NY Farmers Fail). We now have an updated version of that story line. The Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association (PMA) recently released a 28-minute MUST SEE video titled, “The Dividing Line: PA vs. NY Natural Gas Economics” (watch it below). Listen to landowners and business owners on both sides of the border talk about their experience. New Yorkers have been shafted by a corrupt governor, that much is clear…
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    FERC Grants Atlantic Bridge Pipe OK to Begin NY Construction

    The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) last week granted permission to Algonquin Gas Transmission (i.e. Spectra Energy, now owned by Enbridge) to build new pipeline infrastructure in New York State, part of the $452 million Atlantic Bridge expansion project. Atlantic bridge was approved by FERC back in January (see FERC Approves Atlantic Bridge Project for New England/Canada). The project beefs up capacity along the Algonquin Pipeline, along with Spectra Energy’s Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, to carry more Marcellus/Utica gas into New England and (eventually) all the way to Nova Scotia, Canada. Over the shrill objections of antis, including both U.S. Senators from Massachusetts, FERC allowed construction to begin on Atlantic Bridge in Connecticut back in March (see FERC Grants Atlantic Bridge Pipe OK to Begin CT Construction). Miracle of miracles, the corrupt NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation issued water permits for the project in May (see NY DEC Grants Water Permits for Atlantic Bridge Pipeline Project). And now FERC is giving the green light for construction to commence in NY. What work is happening in NY?…
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    Transco’s New York Bay Expansion Goes Live, Flows More Gas to NYC

    Williams announced yesterday that its New York Bay Expansion pipeline project to flow an extra 115 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of natural gas to New York City is now online and working. In July 2015, Williams filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the $130 million project, which will flow Marcellus gas to 500,000 additional New York City residents by the 2017/2018 heating season (see Williams Announces New Upgrades to Transco Pipeline into NYC). In July 2016, FERC approved the project and construction began (see FERC Approves Transco Expansion Projects in NYC & Virginia). The project expanded capacity on the Transco pipeline by installing new compressor station equipment, replacing a quarter mile of pipeline (in New Jersey), and upgrading meter and regulator stations at several locations in NJ, PA and NY. All the work was done in existing rights-of-way and at existing facilities, with no new building or greenfield construction necessary. That didn’t stop the crazies from protesting, which they did. The good news is that the project is now completed and more yummy, fracked Marcellus gas is now flowing to customers in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Long Island…
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    Antis Redux Court Strategy on Orange County, NY Gas Power Plant

    Antis certainly learn from one another. If an anti-fossil fuel tactic works (in court) in one place, antis in other locations jump on it like white on rice. Ninny nanny antis in the Chenango Valley School District (suburb of Binghamton, NY) got their knickers in a twist when NG Advantage proposed building a “virtual pipeline” project about a mile from one of their schools. A virtual pipe is a compressor station that compresses gas from a pipeline (the Millennium in this case) and loads it onto specially fitted tanker trucks to haul the gas to industrial users. The school paid $40,000+ for an outside-the-area law firm, which sued and in a county-level court (called “Supreme Court” in quirky NY). The Big Money law firm won the case, convincing the judge to proclaim that the local planning board didn’t do a good enough job in considering NG’s application (see Judge Rules Against Broome Virtual Pipe, NG Advantage to Try Again). Hey, it worked in Broome County, NY, so the ninny nanny antis in Orange County, NY (close to New York City) thought they would give it a try. Competitive Power Ventures is in the midst of building a $900 million natural gas-fired electric generating plant in Wawayanda, Orange County. Early on local antis sued to stop the project, but a local judge threw out the case in 2015, clearing the way for construction (see Orange County, NY Marcellus-Fired Electric Plant OK’d by Judge). Antis next tried to deny a source of fuel for the plant. They were successful in pressuring New York’s corrupt governor, Andrew Cuomo, to instruct his corrupt Dept. of Environmental Conservation, to deny a permit for a 7.8 mile pipeline to feed the plant. Eventually, in an unprecedented (and embarrassing for NY) action, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission overruled the DEC to allow the pipeline to be built. So that avenue to stop the CPV electric plant bombed out for the antis. Back to square one. Antis are now suing the local planning board in Wawayanda, claiming they didn’t do a good enough job in reviewing the original application. Sound familiar? A court date is set for tomorrow in the case…
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    Warning: Secret Pipeline Ban on New York Ballot in November

    Next month when New Yorkers go to the polls to cast their votes (an illusory scam in Communist NY), there will be three Propositions on the ballot. One of the three is called, “Authorizing the Use of Forest Preserve Land for Specified Purposes.” The one-paragraph description implies municipalities will have more flexibility in using “preserved” land–so long as they designate the same amount of land to be added back to the pool of preserved land. It also allows bicycle trails and public utility lines to cross preserved land. However, what the description does not say (which can be found in a full reading of the proposition) is this: the proposition “prohibits the construction of a new intrastate gas or oil pipeline that did not receive necessary state and local permits and approvals by June 1, 2016.” So no new intrastate (within the state) pipelines through preserved land, period. Ever. Even though electric lines crossing preserved land are just fine. Why is Gov. Cuomo trying to hide this from residents? Will NY residents even wake up and notice they don’t know what they’re actually voting for (or against)? That’s how sleazy politics is played in the Empire State…
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    Antis Rally in Orange County, NY Against Clean-Burning NatGas Plant

    For more than two years MDN has chronicled the journey of Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) to build a $900 million Marcellus gas-fired electric plant in Wawayanda, NY, called the Valley Energy Center. Early on the project faced court challenges, but a judge gave final approval to build it in September 2015 (see Orange County, NY Marcellus-Fired Electric Plant OK’d by Judge). On Aug. 30, the Cuomo-corrupted NY Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued a letter to FERC and Millennium, denying Millennium the right to build a 7.8 mile pipeline to feed the new plant (see Corrupt NY DEC Denies Water Permit for 7.8 Mile Power Plant Pipeline). Two weeks later overrode the DEC and told Millennium they can build it anyway (see History Made! FERC Overrules NY DEC on Millennium Pipe Permit). A group of anti-everythings in Orange County are adamantly opposed to the project–and they think if they can stop the pipeline, they can stop the project. Not true. If a gas pipeline is not run to the plant, CPV plans to use fuel oil instead (see If NatGas Pipeline is Blocked, NY Elec Plant Will Use Oil Instead). One way or the other, the plant will be completed in early 2018–and go online, producing electricity. As for what powers it–that remains to be seen. We found it interesting (and amusing) that a group of ninny nannies staged a rally on Monday in Wawayanda (where the CPV plant is under construction), to once again oppose the project–and to encourage the Orange County Legislature to pass a non-binding resolution against the project, hoping for…hoping for we’re not sure what! The plant is getting built. It’s a done deal. It’s going online early next year. It’s a done deal. The only thing that remains is to decide if clean-burning natural gas will power it–or much dirtier fuel oil. Apparently the antis are too obtuse to grasp this simple fact…
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    Con Edison Plans to Pay Customers to Use Less NatGas

    This story is really rich. Consolidated Edison (ConEd) is one of the nation’s largest investor-owned energy companies. ConEd is a utility, operating in the New York City area. It is one of the largest (perhaps the largest) seller of natural gas in NYC area. In a press release that has us equally laughing and crying, ConEd floats a new plan to meet the “growing natural gas demand” it’s seeing from customers. Early in the release ConEd states the facts: “construction of new natural gas pipelines [in New York] is not keeping pace with growing demand.” Why? Because New York has a corrupt governor, Andrew Cuomo, who caters to wild radicals that give him money for his campaigns. Yes, CORRUPT. And so Cuomo issues edicts to executive agencies, like the Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC), to deny permits for new pipelines. Hence, NY doesn’t have enough pipelines to flow increasing demand for natural gas. ConEd just admitted that. So how does ConEd plan to solve the problem they have? Maybe anchor a floating LNG import terminal off Long Island? Nope. Virtual pipelines to haul more gas to its facilities? Nope. How about rail cars hauling CNG or LNG? Nope. Here’s the brilliance at ConEd–they want to raise everyone’s gas and electric rates so they can pay building owners to not use as much gas! What?! That’s right, ConEd has filed a rate case with the New York State Public Service Commission that requests permission to raise rates and pay people to use less natural gas. Welcome to Wonderland (i.e. New York), Alice…
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