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Eminent Domain Begins for Landowners in Path of Atlantic Sunrise

You beg and plead and beg and plead. You come with your hat in your hand. You try to explain that no, the pipeline isn’t going to avoid your property, Mr. or Ms. Landowner. But some landowners refuse to negotiate. So the last resort option must be exercised. That’s the situation with Williams’ Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline in several counties in Pennsylvania–including Lancaster, Lebanon, Columbia, Northumberland and Schuylkill. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a final certificate for Atlantic Sunrise, allowing construction to begin, just two weeks ago today (see Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Gets Final Approval by FERC). Although the project is still waiting on an approvals from the Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the State Historic Preservation Office, Williams expects to begin construction soon. Very soon. Landowners who either oppose the pipeline because they hate fossil fuels, or because they thought they might get a higher offer, or because they thought they could just make it go away by singing, “La la la la, I don’t hear you!”–are now out of time. Atlantic Sunrise is taking recalcitrant landowners to court and will soon have a court order allowing them to proceed with construction…
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Antis Plan a Weekend Campout to Protest Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline

Anti-fossil fuel protesters (some of them paid) will go on a camp-out in Amish country (Lancaster County, PA) beginning this Friday to protest the imminent start of construction for the Williams Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline project. The same group built themselves a magic tree house along the planned route of the pipeline (see PA Antis Build 2nd Magic Tree House to Stop Atlantic Sunrise Pipe). Then the bottom dropped out of their world. Last Friday the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a final authorization to begin construction (see Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Gets Final Approval by FERC). Williams still needs permits from the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. However, permits from PA & the Army Corps is perfunctory. The only thing antis can do now is attempt to gin up hundreds (or thousands) of people to attempt an illegal blockade to prevent construction of the pipeline. You know, a “peaceful” act of civil disobedience, like that in North Dakota (see Dakota Access Pipeline Protesters Turn Violent; Coming Here Next?). So beginning Friday the antis will grab their sleeping bags and head to the magic tree house…
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Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Gets Final Approval by FERC

Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline map – click for larger version

Friday saw a flurry of activity at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)–the federal agency in charge of evaluating and authorizing interstate pipeline projects. Today is FERC-day on MDN, because there was so much news from Friday! Perhaps the most important news coming out of a list of approvals was FERC’s final blessing on Williams’ $3 billion Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline project–a 198-mile pipeline project running through 10 Pennsylvania counties to connect Marcellus Shale natural gas from PA with the Williams’ Transco pipeline in southern Lancaster County. In addition to the pipeline, two new compressor stations will get built, and when the whole thing is done, an extra 1.7 billion cubic feet per day of northeast PA Marcellus Shale gas (from Cabot Oil & Gas and Seneca Resources) will flow south. On Friday, FERC issued a final certificate for the project, allowing Williams to build it. We can’t wait until Williams goes through and knocks down the magic tree house built by environmental wackos in an attempt to stop the project (see PA Antis Build 2nd Magic Tree House to Stop Atlantic Sunrise Pipe). That’ll make for some great headlines when it happens. However, Williams isn’t starting up the bulldozers just yet. Before they can begin, Williams still needs permits from the PA Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. However, permits from PA & the Army Corps is perfunctory. It’s now over. The antis have lost and the good guys have finally scored a victory! Construction will begin on the main portion of the pipeline in mid-2017…
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York County, PA Electric Plant Begins Using NatGas as Fuel

Brunner Island Power Plant – click for larger image

We first reported in August 2015 on plans for a mammoth coal-fired electric plant in York County, PA (straddling Lancaster County) would invest $100 million to begin using Marcellus Shale gas to help power the plant (see Lancaster Coal Burning Electric Plant Adding Marcellus NatGas). The Brunner Island facility, as it’s called, has been in environmentalists sights for years, with complaints about emissions from the plant. Brunner Island has a relatively new owner–Talen Energy (of Allentown, PA). Beginning to use natgas at the Brunner Island facility is an experiment for Talen–they intend to continue using coal as well (for now). Good news: Brunner Island has begun using natgas, ahead of schedule…
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Lancaster County Antis Ramp Up for “Nonviolent” Pipeline Protests

North Dakota Access Pipeline’s “nonviolent” protesters – credit: LA Times

Last week MDN told you about the nutters from the radical group Lancaster Against Pipelines who built a second magic tree house in the path of the proposed Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline (see PA Antis Build 2nd Magic Tree House to Stop Atlantic Sunrise Pipe). As we pointed out then (and on previous occasions) this group is now aligning itself with, and taking its cues from, outside/paid protesters who engaged in criminal acts in North Dakota at the site of the Dakota Access Pipeline project (see Dakota Access Pipeline Protesters Turn Violent; Coming Here Next?). On Sunday, Lancaster Against Pipelines held yet another protest meeting–at the site of the new/second magic tree house. And guess who was there? “Organizers from at least three other states were in attendance to recruit and train people on nonviolent direct action. Some of them had taken part in the monthslong protest against an oil pipeline in North Dakota with the Standing Rock Sioux tribe.” Is that the same Dakota Access “protest” where they were firing bullets at police and throwing rocks at law enforcement? Tell us again about this so-called “nonviolent” protest you’re planning in Lancaster…
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PA Antis Build 2nd Magic Tree House to Stop Atlantic Sunrise Pipe

Inspired by the criminal actions of eco-terrorists in North Dakota (see Dakota Access Pipeline Protesters Turn Violent; Coming Here Next?), anti-pipeline zealots in Lancaster County, PA figured they would give some of the tactics from the Dakotas a try here. So last October they constructed a shed on stilts along the proposed path of the forthcoming Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline (see Antis Build Magic Tree House to Block Atlantic Sunrise Pipe). The shed on stilts looks like a big tree house (without the tree), which makes sense as the protesters are the equivalent of seven year-old, petulant, spoiled rotten children. Why not give themselves a magic tree house to hang out in and talk about the glory days of protesting Vietnam…er…ah…pipelines? The nutters have a Holy Cause–stop the use of all carbon-releasing fossil fuels. So, if one magic tree house was good, two would be even better! The nuts have done it again, building a second shed on stilts/tree house in the path of the pipeline. The nutters admit it will take about 15 minutes to rip them down, when the time comes. What they really hope is that thousands of people will swarm to the location of the tree houses and recreate the lawlessness of North Dakota here…
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FERC Approves Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline! Cabot Grabs More Capacity

1/4/17 Update: Williams finally issued its own press release about this, which we’ve included below.

On the last business day of 2016, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a favorable final environmental impact statement (EIS) for one of the major pipeline projects in the Marcellus/Utica: the $3 billion Williams Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline project. The FERC EIS for Atlantic Sunrise (full copy embedded below) said that although there may be some adverse environmental effects from the project, those effects can be “reduced to less-than-significant levels” by Williams via the plans submitted. FERC considered five alternative routes and chose to stick with the preferred route proposed by Williams. However, FERC did ask Williams two make minor tweaks to four locations along the route of the pipeline. Cabot Oil & Gas, the main customer for the 1.7 billion cubic feet of capacity, was positively giddy with the announcement. Cabot released their own press release to say that although they previously gobbled up 850 million cubic feet (MMcf) of capacity along the new pipeline, they are adding another 150 MMcf to that number, giving the company a grand total of 1 billion cubic feet (out of 1.7 Bcf) of capacity along the pipe when it’s built. Holy moly! That will be 1 Bcf per day of Cabot’s gas going from Susquehanna County, PA to other states, outside the region. VERY smart move by Cabot. Below we have the news and feedback/analysis about the announcement…
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Antis Build Magic Tree House to Block Atlantic Sunrise Pipe

mth_website1Inspired by the criminal actions of eco-terrorists in North Dakota (see Dakota Access Pipeline Protesters Turn Violent; Coming Here Next?), anti-pipeline zealots in Lancaster County, PA figured they would give some of the tactics from the Dakotas a try here. So they’ve constructed a shed on stilts right along the proposed path of the forthcoming Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline. The shed on stilts looks like a big tree house (without the tree), which makes sense as the protesters are the equivalent of seven year-old, petulant, spoiled children. Why not give themselves a magic tree house to hang out in and talk about the glory days of protesting Vietnam…er…ah…pipelines. The nutters have a Holy Cause–stop the use of all fossil fuels. This is the way they intend to enforce their dystopian vision on the rest of us, by illegal acts…
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Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline – Supporters and Detractors in Southeast PA

Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline map
Click for larger version

MDN has written dozens of articles about Williams’ Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline project, a $3 billion, 198-mile project running through 10 Pennsylvania counties to connect Marcellus Shale natural gas from PA with the Williams’ Transco pipeline in southern Lancaster County. It is a much-needed pipeline to move more Marcellus gas south, to new markets (see a list of our Atlantic Sunrise articles here). What’s the current status? It’s going through a regulatory review with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Back in May the project received a favorable Environmental Impact Statement from FERC (see Williams’ Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline Gets Positive EIS from FERC). Williams expects final FERC approval later this year or early next year, despite negative feedback from the Obama EPA, Obama Dept. of Interior, and despite ongoing frivolous lawsuits from the likes of THE Delaware Riverkeeper. Mark our words: this project will get built. Below are a couple of bits of news about Atlantic Sunrise. One is about a recent debate, held in Lancaster Monday evening, among three candidates for the PA Senate. Predictably the Democrat is against Atlantic Sunrise, and the Republican is for it. Also below is news that the usual nutty suspects, including the Allegheny Defense Project, Appalachian Mountain Advocates, the Sierra Club (among others) have filed yet another request with FERC to block the project by changing the already-issued favorable EIS…
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Interior Dept Chides FERC re Atlantic Sunrise Pipe, Bogus Concerns

DOIThe Obamadroids are once again ganging up on the semi-independent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Last week the Obama Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) filed comments with FERC critical of the Williams/Transco Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project (see Federal EPA Continues to Fuss over Atlantic Sunrise Route in PA). This week it’s the Obama Dept. of Interior (DOI). The DOI has filed comments with FERC saying Atlantic Sunrise maybe/may/might cause a 2.5 second eyesore for people paddling down the Susquehanna River–they might see a nice grassy knoll where the pipeline runs instead of overgrown, spindly, dying trees instead. Because it’s an official “historic” stretch of river that Captain John Smith may have once traveled, that apparently means not a single tree branch can ever be pruned along the river bank. What a load…
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Lancaster Antis Try to Bully Pipeline Supporters, FERC Reps

Atlantic SunriseMDN has attended several Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) “scoping hearings” in the past (see Vicariously Attend FERC Scoping Hearing on Constitution Pipeline). So we’ve seen first-hand the kind of antics that virulent anti-fossil fuelers engage in at such hearings. Which has led us to comment these hearings are often freak shows–a forum for these people to vent and verbally vomit all over FERC representatives. Such was the case last night in Lancaster, PA at a public hearing held by FERC for the much needed, largely noncontroversial Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline, to be built by Williams. A group of 250-350 (depending on the media source) showed up to listen, with some speaking, at last night’s hearing. Not all in the audience were antis–but many were. People who support the pipeline have better things to do with their time than listen to nutters bleat and blat and carry on. Let’s put the numbers in perspective. Lancaster and Lebanon counties have a combined total population of 653,000 residents. Of that, 350 showed up for the hearing. If all 350 were against the pipeline (which wasn’t the case, but bear with us), that would be .05% of the population–statistically zero. And yet this very small group with very big mouths get all of the media coverage from the event…
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Williams Pre-Files with FERC to Expand Transco Pipeline in PA, NY

Transco Northeast Supply Enhanacement Project map
Transco Northeast Supply Enhanacement Project map – click for larger version

Williams’ Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company (Transco) has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for permission to begin the pre-filing process on a new project, called the Northeast Supply Enhancement project. The new project is meant to increase pipeline capacity and flows heading into northeastern markets. In particular, Transco wants to provide more natural gas to utility giant National Grid beginning with the 2019-2020 heating season. National Grid operates in New York City, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The Northeast Supply Enhancement project would build 10 miles of new pipeline in Lancaster County, PA (laid next to three existing pipelines, in the same corridor). It would also require 22 miles of new offshore pipeline located in New York Bay. A new compressor station would be built in Somerset County, NJ along with other upgrades, including an added compressor unit at a plant in Chester County, PA…
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Antis Stitch Together Pipeline Quilt in Lancaster County, PA

Last Thursday MDN editor Jim Willis and his wife made a day trip to Amish country–Lancaster County, PA. Jim loves the region. Jim’s wife loves to shop in the region! The flowers were already blooming, the grass green and being mowed, and the crops planted. Nothing like a good whiff of manure from a nearby farm! Wouldn’t you know that a small group of anti-fossil fuelers opposing pipelines in the region would wait until Monday to stage a media event? Why couldn’t they have done it while Jim was there?! The protesters got the bright idea of creating a quilt 50 feet wide–the distance of a pipeline right-of-way–and getting sympathetic media types to come take pictures…
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Wrath of Kann: PA Anti’s Disorderly Conduct Conviction Overturned

Kimberly Kann, a resident of Conestoga Township in Lancaster County, PA, decided she would break the rules at a town meeting this past April. The meeting was to discuss so-called home rule and the role it should play in the town with respect to regulating pipelines, like the planned Atlantic Coast Pipeline project from Williams. The ground rules for the meeting were simple: ASK QUESTIONS ONLY. Kann decided she would use it as a public forum to pontificate and rail against pipelines. She wouldn’t ask questions and was repeatedly warned–so when she wouldn’t shut up, they arrested her and threw her out of the meeting (see Wrath of Kann: Lancaster Anti-Driller Arrested/Ejected from Mtg). In July she was found guilty as charged (see Wrath of Kann: Lancaster Anti-Driller Guilty of Disorderly Conduct). Kann should have paid her $325 fine/court costs and ended it–but she kept fighting. It eventually would cost her $3,000 in legal fees, but Kann, like the character played by Ricardo Montalban in Star Trek II, has had the last laugh. In a hollow victory, Kann got her conviction overturned by a Lancaster County judge…
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Lancaster Coal Burning Electric Plant Adding Marcellus NatGas

We often hear about, and report on, new electric generating plants being built that will use Marcellus (or Utica) Shale gas. Panda Power, Invenergy and others are building plants around Pennsylvania to take advantage of cheap, abundant and clean-burning Marcellus Shale gas. What you don’t hear often, but is equally as important, are existing coal plants converting to burn natural gas. The “much-maligned” Brunner Island coal-fired power plant on the edge of Lancaster County, PA is one such plant. Brunner Island will keep its coal burning operation at the plant–for now. They are, however, spending $100 million to add natural gas burners to help drive the plant’s three electric generators. This is an accelerating trend with electric generating plants across the country, particularly in the northeast…
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Antis Plan to Protest Pipeline Talk Tonight in Lancaster County

A small group of anti-fossil fuel protesters plans to disrupt an information meeting being hosted by the Chamber of Commerce in Lancaster County tonight. The event will feature representatives from Williams discussing and sharing information about their planned $3 billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline project–a project largely embraced by the public but opposed by a few small pockets of dedicated protesters, one such group being Lancaster Against Pipelines. The Atlantic Coast project will flow Marcellus Shale gas to Mid-Atlantic and southern states. Most of the protesters are too cheap to buy a $25 ticket to the event, so they’ll stand outside and make fools of themselves by chanting and hollering at those who enter the meeting. We encourage a contingent of pro-drillers to show up and stand outside to show support for the project. It’s time to show everyone that supporters far outnumber detractors…
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