New York

Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide NY | Williams

Constitution Pipeline Gets a Little (Court) Help from Its Friends
July 21, 2016July 21, 2016

Constitution Pipeline map – click for larger version

In perhaps the sleaziest of sleazy political moves, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the non-science-based political decision to deny the Constitution Pipeline stream crossing permits in April (see NY Gov. Cuomo Refuses to Grant Permits for Constitution Pipeline). The man is a menace to all New Yorkers. He caves to his radical, fringe left on a regular basis, as he did with his decision to deny the Constitution Pipeline. Williams, Cabot and the other partners in the project aren’t taking it laying down. They sued New York State in federal court with the very real possibility that the court will neuter NY’s decision-making role in the project (see Williams Sues NY Over Constitution Pipe – DEC May Lose Authority). The Constitution doesn’t stand alone. A number of national industry organizations are coming to the Constitution’s defense. On Tuesday the Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA) and other groups together filed an amicus curiae brief with the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. “Amicus curiae” means “friend of the court” in Latin. The brief (full copy below) makes the point that states should not be the tail that wags the federal-oversight-of-such-projects dog. That is, the New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is preventing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) from doing its job. One government entity (especially a state) cannot block the power and authority of another government entity (in particular the federal government)…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide NY

FERC Rejects NY AG’s Anti-Constitution Pipeline Petition
July 18, 2016July 18, 2016

NY AG Eric Schneiderman – petition rejected by FERC

In May MDN told you about a sleazy political move by New York’s corrupt Attorney General, Eric Scheiderman, who petitioned the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to investigate Williams over the Constitution Pipeline, with a recommendation that FERC withdraw its approval of the project (see NY Attorney General Asks FERC to Investigate Constitution Pipe). Schneiderman claimed that Williams was cutting trees along the path of the pipeline before the state had issued stream crossing permits (which it decided not to do). We told you, in a follow-up story, that Schneiderman’s claims of premature tree cutting by Williams was a fraud (see NY AG’s Allegation of Tree Cutting by Constitution Pipe a Fraud). A Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin investigation found that some trees along the pipeline’s path in New York State had been cut–but not by Williams. The landowners themselves were cutting the trees in anticipation of the project–to profit from the sale of the timber. On Friday FERC officially responded to the corrupt Schneiderman’s petition by saying, in so many words, to stuff it…
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Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Statewide NY

Former NY AG Emasculates Current AG, ExxonMobil Not Like Tobacco
July 18, 2016July 18, 2016

Dennis Vacco – former NY AG

Let’s add some insult to injury, because New York’s corrupt Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, so richly deserves it. Today’s lead story on MDN is about the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) rejecting a petition by AG Schneiderman–his request that FERC withdraw its approval of the Constitution Pipeline and investigate Williams over false allegations of premature tree clearing related to the project (see FERC Rejects NY AG’s Anti-Constitution Pipeline Petition). Schneiderman is a power-mad leftist, hellbent on shaking down so-called Big Oil companies like Exxon Mobil. Schneiderman himself has been caught in a collusion scandal with several other AGs and with Big Green groups to try and smear and extort Exxon (see NY AG, Others Served Congressional Subpoena re Exxon Witch Hunt). One of Schneiderman’s favorite (false) claims is that Exxon Mobil “knew” that mankind is causing mythical global warming by burning fossil fuels–and that they kept it secret–like Big Tobacco companies knew their product was causing cancer. Schneiderman hopes to sue Exxon and other Big Oil companies and extort gazillions of dollars from them. The Dems are rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect. Except…except none of their fairy tales are true and no one believes it. Into this mix, along has come a former New York Attorney General, Republican Dennis Vacco, who served as NY AG from 1995-1999. Vacco was part a group of AGs who successfully sued Big Tobacco, so he knows a thing or two about that case. Vacco says, writing in the Washington Post, that Schneiderman’s claims of a case against Exxon is NOTHING LIKE the case against Big Tobacco. Vacco emasculates Schneiderman and his claims of a case against Exxon…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Companies | Exxon Mobil | Industrywide Issues | New York | Statewide NY

Smoking Gun: AGs Signed Pact to Keep Exxon Documents Secret
July 8, 2016July 8, 2016

Emails recently obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests provide proof that New York Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman, along with Democrat AGs from a number of other states, pre-planned an attack on Exxon Mobil, not only colluding with each other, but with also with radical environmental groups. And they tried to keep it all secret. AG Schneiderman’s office circulated a “Common Interest Agreement” to the other AGs–a pact he wanted them to sign that they would not release any documents about their colluding schemes to smear Exxon–BEFORE they launched the attack. We honestly wonder if what they did is criminal. We sincerely hope Exxon is pushing for an FBI investigation into this bunch of sleazy AGs–which include not only Schneiderman, but also the AGs from the Virgin Islands, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide NY | Tompkins County

NY Lawmakers Ask Gov. Cuomo to Ban New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure
July 8, 2016July 8, 2016

Barbara Lifton

Barbara Lifton is a dangerously stupid person. Dangerous because she happens to be an elected member of the New York State Assembly–representing the ultra-liberal bastion of Ithaca, NY. Lifton has long opposed shale drilling in the state, but her hatred of shale drilling has now spilled over and metastasized into a full-blown, irrational hatred of all fossil fuels. Lifton and 21 other energy no-nothings in the NY state legislature sent a signed letter to Gov. Andrew “man-child” Cuomo asking him to halt all state approvals of pipelines, compressor stations, power plants, and gas storage facilities. Essentially–stop any more development of energy that comes from fossil fuels. Even though, as we reported Wednesday, last year 81.5% of all energy used in this country (and in New York State) came from fossil fuels (see Last Year Fossil Fuels Provided 81.5% of All Energy Used in U.S.). That’s the stupid part. Lifton and her cronies are advocating that we dump the source of 81.5% of our energy. Let’s play a “what if?” game. If such a thing were done, if we stopped using fossil fuels in New York State, we would be instantly transported back to the Stone Ages, complete with mass death and disease. Ninety percent or more of the population would either have to move, or die. Here’s the humorous part: The letter Lifton signed requesting an energy holocaust was produced on a computer made from plastics (i.e. fossil fuels) and powered with electricity from fossil fuels. The clothes she wore at a rally in Binghamton to announce this lunacy were made from plastic fibers (i.e. fossil fuels), and she got to the rally from Ithaca in a vehicle powered by fossil fuels, riding in a vehicle and on tires made from fossil fuels. You get our drift. Pure insanity. Here’s a report about the letter, the rally, and the dangerously stupid Barbara Lifton…
Read More “NY Lawmakers Ask Gov. Cuomo to Ban New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Companies | Exxon Mobil | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Statewide NY

Exxon Beats Back Free Speech Attack by Liberal AGs in Climate Fight
July 1, 2016July 1, 2016

MDN previously chronicled an insidious effort being spearheaded by the odious New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in an attempt to criminalize free speech by accusing Exxon Mobil of “knowing” man-made global warming is “true” but suppressing that knowledge (see NY AG Targets/Accuses ExxonMobil of Lying about ‘Climate Change’). You disagree with Scheiderman on global warming, he wants to take your money away and put you in jail. As we’ve pointed out, it’s Nazi-like (see Rise of the New (Environmental) Nazis – Free Speech Under Attack). Schnedierman has convinced other state AGs to join his cackle (what a group of hyenas is called), including the far-left AG of Massachusetts, Maura Healey, and the hapless, bumbling idiot of an AG in the Virgin Islands, Claude Walker. What the cackle didn’t expect is that their prey would turn around and begin hunting them! Exxon has already stopped Mass. AG Healey (see Exxon Fights Back Against Mass. AG’s Illegal Subpoena). Now, add one more victory to Exxon’s tally: the hapless Virgin Islands AG Walker has withdraw his subpoena against the company…
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New York | Statewide NY

Gov Cuomo Blocks Drilling & Pipelines, Then Hails NatGas as “Clean”
June 24, 2016June 24, 2016

If this doesn’t take the cake: The very corrupt New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sold out his own residents and their property rights to radical leftists by placing an ongoing moratorium on high volume (not low volume) hydraulic fracturing, and then by denying the Constitution Pipeline necessary permits to begin construction. He also signed on to nutjob Al Gore’s so-called climate initiative (an elaborate hoax to profit Big Green causes). Cuomo has done everything he can to stop natural gas production in the Empire State. And then he turns around, and as part of his official energy policy says (via his underlings at the Public Service Commission) says that natural gas is clean-burning and important part of the state’s energy future. Talk about chutzpah!…
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Dominion Energy | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide NY

Petition Asks Gov. Cuomo to Approve Upstate Pipeline Project
June 17, 2016June 17, 2016

We hate to say this, but we’ve seen this movie before. Last October the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved Dominion’s $165 million New Market Project–a project that expands Dominion’s transmission pipeline from western New York across the state to the Capital Region of the state, near Albany (see FERC Approves Expansion of Dominion Pipeline in Upstate NY). As with any fossil fuel-related project, radical environmentalists objected (see NY Antis Flood FERC in Fight Against Dominion’s New Market Project). Also once again, there’s a holdup in New York–the Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC), at Gov. Cuomo’s behest, has delayed granting necessary permits for the project to begin. Can anyone say “Constitution” (see NY Gov. Cuomo Refuses to Grant Permits for Constitution Pipeline). Yesterday three groups, including the Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA), the Business Council of New York State and New York State Laborers’ filed a petition with Cuomo with 10,000 signatures requesting he get off his rear-end and approve the New Market Project…
Read More “Petition Asks Gov. Cuomo to Approve Upstate Pipeline Project”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Regulation | Statewide NY

NY AG Attempts to Cover Up His Collusion with Big Green Groups
June 6, 2016June 6, 2016

NY AG Eric Schneiderman – the man who is hiding something

It’s A.O.K. for the out-of-control Attorney General from New York, Eric Schneiderman, to go fishing and request all sorts of internal documents and communications from Exxon Mobil in his witch hunt to persecute (not prosecute) the oil giant because they don’t believe strongly enough as he does in the fairy tale of man-made global warming. Schneiderman and his cronies in other states are trying to shake down Exxon in a massive scheme, claiming the company “knew” mankind is causing global warming by burning fossil fuels that Exxon extracts from the ground (see Climate Change Hucksters, Incl. NY AG & Al Gore, Threaten O&G and Rise of the New (Environmental) Nazis – Free Speech Under Attack). But when the U.S. Congress tells Scheiderman it wants HIS internal communication documents to see how he is colluding with Big Green groups who are prodding him along in his witch hunt efforts, Scheiderman clams up and claims Congress has no right to go fishing in HIS communications pond. Hmmm. A tad bit hypocritical, no?…
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Broome County | Chenango County | Delaware County | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | New York | Otsego County | Pennsylvania | Pipelines | Schoharie County | Susquehanna County | Williams

Constitution Pipeline Doles Out Another $50K in Grants, Despite NY
June 3, 2016June 3, 2016

Since announcing the project in 2012, the Constitution Pipeline has handed out more than $2 million in community grants to fire departments, police departments and a variety of nonprofit organizations that benefit the community. Recently New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo decided to block the Constitution Pipeline to placate his radical left supporters (see NY Gov. Cuomo Refuses to Grant Permits for Constitution Pipeline). Williams and its partners in the project have taken NY to court to overrule their blockage (see Williams Sues NY Over Constitution Pipe – DEC May Lose Authority). Even though Cuomo’s dastardly action has thrown the project’s future into some doubt, Williams and the Constitution are expressing no doubts. They’ve just handed out another $50,000 in grants (the eighth time they’ve done it) to worthy organizations along the pipeline’s proposed route. Here’s who got the money, and how much…
Read More “Constitution Pipeline Doles Out Another $50K in Grants, Despite NY”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pipelines | Regulation | Statewide NY | Williams

NY AG’s Allegation of Tree Cutting by Constitution Pipe a Fraud
May 23, 2016May 23, 2016

NY’s arrogant AG – Eric Schneiderman

The Attorney General of New York State, Eric Schneiderman, has been caught in a lie and he’s furiously backpedaling, trying to cover it up. On May 13 Schneiderman tried to pull a fast one by filing a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requesting FERC investigate the Constitution Pipeline for illegal felling of trees along the pipeline’s path in New York State (see NY Attorney General Asks FERC to Investigate Constitution Pipe). Guess what. Tree’s WERE cut along the path–but not by the Constitution. Landowners who wanted to realize the most money from trees that will eventually be cut were cutting the trees ON THEIR OWN, without the help, consent, assistance, nor any form of aide from the Constitution. Schneiderman’s pathetic response? The Constitution should have known those stupid farmers would cut the trees and should have done something to stop it. What breathtaking arrogance…
Read More “NY AG’s Allegation of Tree Cutting by Constitution Pipe a Fraud”
Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pipelines | Spectra Energy | Statewide NY

NY’s 2 Radical Senators Call for Halt in Building Algonquin Pipeline
May 23, 2016May 23, 2016

New York’s Senators – Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer

Spectra Energy’s Algonquin Incremental Market (AIM) pipeline project is an $876 million expansion of the existing Algonquin pipeline system that will 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 their final approval for the project, allowing it to go forward. Construction began last year and continues now, with a target in-service date later this year. New York’s radical, anti-drilling governor, Andy Cuomo, tried to stop the Algonquin using the flimsy excuse that some of the drilling for the pipeline would happen a half mile from a nuclear power plant–a plant that Cuomo wants to shut down anyway (see Gov. Cuomo Asks FERC to Halt Algonquin Pipeline Near Nuke Plant). A few weeks after Cuomo requested FERC shut it down, they told him “no” (see FERC Denies NY Request to Stop Work on Pipeline Near Nuke Plant). So, in good government/radical environmentalist collusion fashion, several Big Green groups filed an appeal with the liberal District of Columbia Court of Appeals to try and stop it (see Radical Enviro Groups File Appeal to Stop AIM Pipeline in NY/CT). Now, New York State’s two radically leftist Democrat Senators, Chuck “the schmuck” Schumer and Kirsten “who dat?” Gillibrand (the Senator nobody knows about and nobody cares about) have come down on the side of (surprise!) the radical kooks who want to stop the pipeline…
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Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Statewide NY

Full Page NYT Ad Calls NY AG Schneiderman, Others “Un-American”
May 19, 2016May 19, 2016

In March MDN brought you news of an environmental Nazi confab in New York City, headlined by New York Attorney Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Al Gore (see Climate Change Hucksters, Incl. NY AG & Al Gore, Threaten O&G). The aim of the meeting was to overtly threaten any company or individual who disagrees with their perverted views on man-made global warming. Schneiderman and other far-left, liberal Democrat attorneys general will “investigate” (i.e. bully) businesses, organizations and individuals who dare to disagree with them. It’s breathtaking in its abuse of power. If ExxonMobil disagrees with Schneiderman’s views on global warming and says so–watch out! Here comes a lawsuit to shut them up and shut them down (see Rise of the New (Environmental) Nazis – Free Speech Under Attack). The Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) recognizes the dangerous threat to our freedoms posed by Schneiderman and other out-of-control AGs with their abuses of power. On Tuesday the CEI published a full page ad in the New York Times (VERY expensive) calling out Scheiderman and others–exposing their duplicity and bullying and attempts at censoring free speech. The ad, signed by 43 organizations, legal experts, and individuals who value the First Amendment of the Constitution, calls Scheiderman and those aligned with him “un-American.” We couldn’t agree more…
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Albany County | Anti-Drilling/Fossil Fuel | Industrywide Issues | New York | Pipelines | Regulation

Albany Common Council Votes to Oppose Pilgrim’s (Pipeline) Progress
May 19, 2016May 19, 2016

Pilgrim Pipeline – click map for larger version

Last November, MDN told you about Pilgrim Pipeline Holdings, developing an East Coast pipeline to carry refined petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, heating oil, and jet and aviation fuel northbound from Linden, New Jersey to Albany, New York (178 miles). In addition, a second Pilgrim pipeline will carry crude oil from Albany south to NJ and other locations. Two pipelines, side by side, liquids flowing through them in different directions (see Will Pilgrim Pipeline be Allowed to Settle in the NY World?). In April we told you about a strategy by New York anti-fossil fuel freakers to stop Pilgrim’s progress by using local town bans (see NY Antis Attempt to Stop Pilgrim Pipelines with Local Bans). Although it’s not a full-blown ban, the liberal Democrats who infest Albany, NY’s City Common Council voted on Monday night to approve a non-binding (i.e. toothless) resolution voicing their irrational opposition to the Pilgrim Pipeline project. Why? Because they view it as “an environmental risk” and a “public health hazard.” In other words, they have no reason why, other than to score political points with their base of crazy Democrat voters…
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Crestwood Midstream | Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | New York | Regulation | Schuyler County

Stalled Seneca Lake Propane Storage Project Gets FERC Extension
May 18, 2016May 11, 2017

Propane storage at Seneca Lake – click for larger version

Some mildly good news for the much-needed propane storage facility proposed for Schuyler County, NY. MDN has extensively covered the fight to get the Seneca Lake Storage Project permissioned. In 2009 Inergy filed a request to convert a depleted salt cavern along the shore of Seneca Lake into a propane/natural gas storage facility. Inergy was later bought by and merged into Crestwood Midstream, and Crestwood Midstream later became Crestwood Equity. The New York Dept. of Environmental Conservation has been sitting on its hands from the beginning, refusing to grant the necessary permits to allow the facility to open. Sound familiar? Same old delay and later deny strategy from Cuomo. Since the DEC is completely dysfunctional at this point, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which is involved with approving the facility, has granted a two-year extension to Crestwood (and Crestwood subsidiary Arlington Storage Company) to give them more time to woo, cajole, entice and do whatever they can to get the DEC off it’s rear-end. Of course the FERC extension has sent the ~~crazies~~ protesters, like Sandra Steingraber, into orbit…
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Energy Services | Industrywide Issues | Litigation | New York | Pipelines | Statewide NY | Williams

Williams Sues NY Over Constitution Pipe – DEC May Lose Authority
May 17, 2016May 22, 2016

Three cheers for Williams. Hip hip horray! Williams announced yesterday a two-pronged legal challenge against New York State and its decision to deny stream crossing permits for the federally-approved Constitution Pipeline project (see NY Gov. Cuomo Refuses to Grant Permits for Constitution Pipeline). The first prong is a lawsuit filed in the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit–challenging the decision itself as “arbitrary and capricious.” The second prong is a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York–seeking recognition by the court that New York doesn’t even have jurisdiction over the project. It is this second case that should have Cuomo, the DEC and the antis VERY worried. If the case goes against them, it means that New York will forever be cut out of decision-making with regard to any FERC-approved projects. Properly so. NY has shown itself to be motivated by politics and not by science and certainly not by common sense. It’s time to remove NY from the equation. Staffers at the state Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) feared this might happen and counseled Cuomo to approve the Constitution project–sage advice he ignored…
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