1. Stop NY
Fracked Gas
Pipeline

2. Working with

3. The Northeast Energy Direct (NED)
1-Kinder Morgan / Tennessee Gas Pipeline letter to ISO New England

4. New Yorkers will get NONE of this gas

5. Outline of Presentation
• About the pipeline
• About the process
• Dangers of the pipeline
• Landowner issues
• New additional Compressor Station in Columbia
County
• Is it a bridge fuel to the future?
• Do we need it?
• Will it bring prices down?
• What can we do?

6. About the Proposed Pipeline
• A buried 30-36” high-pressure natural gas
transmission line containing natural gas obtained by
hydraulic fracturing
• To bring gas from the fracking fields of Pennsylvania
to New England and beyond
• To be built parallel to three existing gas pipelines
1-Allen Fore, Kinder Morgan Public Relations Director, select board meeting, Warwick MA, May 13, 2014
2-Mark Hamarich, Construction Manager for NED, Richmond select board meeting, June 4, 2014

9. Capacity and Pressure
• Capacity of this pipeline could be up to 2.2
billion cu. ft./day
• Will maintain pressure up to 1,460 psi to
allow for “line packing,” storing as much
gas as possible in the pipe. The existing
pipelines have an approximate psi of 500.

10. Stages of Pipeline Development
1) TGP/Kinder Morgan has completed their initial Planning and
Survey stage.
2) On September 16, 2014 they filed with the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission to begin the pre-filing process.
3) The pre-filing process allows the gas company to get the
kinks out of its proposal. Open Houses and Scoping Meetings
are scheduled.
4) TGP/Kinder Morgan hopes to file with FERC for its “Certificate
of Convenience & Public Necessity” in September 2015
5) Gas company and FERC required to hold public hearings with
towns in which the pipeline is to be built
6) FERC decides whether to grant “Certificate of Convenience &
Public Necessity.”
7) Construction begins when FERC grants the Certificate. The
company hopes they can begin construction in January 2017
and have them in service by November 2018.

12. Safety Concerns

13. Rural concerns about the
Pipeline
— Automatic Shut-Off valves range from 2-1/2 miles in urban areas
to 10-12 miles apart in rural areas1
— Ruptures and explosions can create super-hot extended burns
until miles of gas, between shut-off valves, burns off2
— FERC only requires “Class 1” pipeline (thinnest allowable
gauge)
for rural construction areas1
1-Mark Hamarich, Construction Manager for NED, FRCOG & FRPB meeting, July 24, 2014 & PG&E Pipeline
Natural Gas FAQ
2-American Gas Association, Natural Gas Consumer Information PDF
3-Northern Natural Gas Safety & Public Awareness General Guidance for Emergency Responders
& Jim Hartman, TGP Right of Way Agent, select board meeting, Warwick, MA, May 13, 2014

14. Explosions

15. Over 990 “Significant Incidents” on gas transmission lines since
2000
34 Fatalities • 137 Injuries • Over $1.5 billion in property damage

18. One of the
causes of
pipeline
rupture can
be frost
heaves, as
was the case
in a recent
gas
transmission
line explosion
in Minnesota1
1-Allen Fore, Kinder
Morgan Public Relations
Director, select board
meeting,
Montague, MA, April 7,
2014

19. Depth of Pipeline
TGP’s new pipeline is planned to
be 3 feet deep.
• Do our frost conditions or
agriculture practices warrant
deeper pipelines?

20. Industry instructions for local
emergency crews
• Contact the pipeline company
• Secure the area
• Evacuate as necessary
• Stay upwind
• Do not attempt to put out fire or operate valves
• Attempt medical assistance if it is safe to do so
• Establish command center for when pipeline
company team arrives
• Northern Natural Gas Safety & Public Awareness General Guidance for
Emergency Responders & Jim Hartman, TGP Right of Way Agent, select
board meeting, Warwick, MA, May 13, 2014

21. Gas odorants

22. Chemicals used in Hydraulic Fracturing
carry through transmission lines
Air sample testing near compressor stations1 and of gas
in transmission lines2 included:
benzene, dimethyldisulfide, trimethyl benzene,
diethyl benzene, tetramethyl benzene, carbon
disulfide,
nephthalenes, methyl pyridine, carbonyl sulfide,
toluene
among others.
Over 60 known carcinogens, neurotoxins and endocrine
disrupters
• 1-Town of Dish, TX, Ambient Air Monitoring Analysis Final Report”, Alisa Rich, MPH, PhDc, President,
Wolf Eagle Environmental, September 15, 2009,
• 2-Environmental Public Health Dimensions of Shale and Tight Gas Development”, Seth B. Shonkoff,
Jake Hays, and Madelon L. Finkel, April 16, 2014, published by National Institutes of Health

23. Long term exposure to
pollutants

24. Landowner issues
• Presence of a transmission line may lower your
property value and that of your neighbors by as
much as 10-30%
• Insurance rates could rise or coverage be limited.
• The average initial offer for similar projects is: $1 per
inch of diameter of the pipe for 1 linear foot x # of
feet (i.e. 30” dia. pipeline x 500 ft = $15,000 one-time
pay-out)
• Landowners continue to pay taxes and hold liability
on the easement
• No trees, pools, ponds or permanent structures can
be put on the 50’ wide easement once the pipeline is
constructed.

25. What happens when the
pipelines are abandoned?

26. Eminent Domain
• Section 7(h) of the Natural Gas Act (NGA) grants the
right of eminent domain when a certificate of public
convenience and necessity is issued by the Commission
under section 7(c) of the NGA.
Thus, when the Commission finds that a proposed
project is in the public convenience and necessity, the
pipeline company has the right to acquire the property
for that project by eminent domain if the pipeline
cannot acquire the necessary land through a
negotiated easement or where the landowner and the
pipeline cannot agree on the compensation to be paid
for the land.

27. New Compressor Station

28. Malden Bridge Compression Station

29. Where will new Compression Station
be located in Columbia County?
?

30. The proposed NED Project Market Path Mid Station 1
Columbia County, New York will be
located at a potential site adjacent to the proposed mainline within the limits of the
shaded band

31. Noise and lights
• 10 ft. diameter exhaust fans that run 24/7
and substantial lighting at night
• Noise levels usually range from 50-90
decibels at distance (garbage disposal, food blender)

33. Blow Downs
Compressor Stations regularly exhaust and
“blow down” methane gas and drilling
chemical residues as part of regular
operations to depressurize line

34. Teel compressor station in PA

35. Is there a need for more gas?

36. ISO says there is a need for more gas
in New England
• For a few hours
• During a few weeks
• In the coldest part of the winter

37. How much?
• ISO says we need .6 billion cu. ft./day (though
that is being disputed)
• The NED will provide 2.2 billion cu. ft./day
Where will the rest go?

38. New Study
• Massachusetts is conducting a new study of
need and looking at alternative ways of
meeting that need.
• They may determine there is no need after all!

39. How about?
• Energy Efficiency
• More renewables
• Fix leaks in fracking, transmission lines,
pigging stations, and compressor stations.

40. Is Natural Gas a cleaner bridge
to the future?

41. Methane is a 70-86 times more powerful
GHG than CO2 over 25 years

42. Gas leaks
• Fracked natural gas is released to the atmosphere in large volumes in
the drilling process, the transmission lines, compressor stations,
pigging operations and finally in old leaky distribution systems.
Additional volumes are releases in the liquefaction and transport on
LNG carriers.

43. Cleaner than… ?

44. Cleaner than
Energy Conservation?

45. Exemptions to Environmental Laws
Clean Air Act,
Clean Water Act,
Safe Drinking Water Act,
Superfund Act and
Freedom of Information Act,

46. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court wrote
• “By any responsible account, the
exploitation of the Marcellus Shale
Formation will produce a detrimental effect
on the environment, on the people, their
children, and future generations, and
potentially on the public purse, perhaps
rivaling the environmental effects of coal
extraction.”

47. Therefore, claims that natural gas is a
cleaner energy source than coal and oil
are not warranted.

48. Will new pipelines make gas
less expensive?

49. Advantages
• One time payment to Property owners
• Yearly tax payments to town
• Possible economic benefit from temporary
workers using local services

50. Disadvantages
• NY will not benefit or use any of this gas.

51. Disadvantages
• Risks of leaks and explosions which could
contaminate our soil, water and air.

52. Disadvantages
• Our public safety officials do not have the
specialized equipment to fight a fire or
explosion of this type. Company policy is
to let fires burn between 10 mile shut-off
valves.

53. Disadvantages
• Chemical off-gassing of over 60 known
carcinogens, neurotoxins and endocrine
disrupters can create serious health risks.

54. Disadvantages
• The proposed pipeline is contrary to the
rural character of Columbia County.

55. Disadvantages
• Disruption of property during
construction

56. Disadvantages
• Landowners face loss in property value,
more difficulty in selling their home, less
control over their property and increased
insurance costs, but they still pay taxes on
land used for pipeline. In case of
accidents, liability is uncertain.

57. Disadvantages
• Eventually the pipelines will be abandoned
and will be the responsibility of the
landowner.

58. Let’s focus energy on new green initiatives
New York’s renewable Portfolio Standard requires
that 30% of electricity come from renewables by
2015. Let’s focus our energy on new, clean,
energy rather than investing large amounts of
money and infrastructure in old-fashioned, dirty,
finite, fossil fuels. .
Let’s encourage:
• NYSERDA energy audits
• Becoming Green

59. PUBLIC OPPOSITION in Massachusetts
— Statewide Petition to Ban New Natural Gas Pipelines and Champion
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, over 12,000 signatures online and on paper
— Town Resolutions
38 out of 38 towns & cities that have held votes so far have passed Resolutions
to ban new pipelines within town borders, or Resolutions in favor of town rights
to maintain local control.
• Ashby
• Greenfield
• Plainfield
• Ashfield
• Groton
• Richmond
• Berlin
• Sandisfield
• Lenox
• Bolton
• Shelburne
• Buckland
• Leverett
• Templeton
• Chesterfield
• Montague
• Townsend
• Conway
• Northampton
• Warwick
• Cummington
• Northfield
• Wendell
• Dalton
• Orange
• Winchendon
• Deerfield
• Pelham*
• Windsor
• Gill
• Pepperell
• Worthington

60. POLITICAL OPPOSITION
In Massachusetts
“I oppose this pipeline …
because it raises serious questions
about whether it is too massive for
Massachusetts’ energy needs, does
not respect the rights and wishes of
local residents, would worsen
climate change, and could lead to
the export of natural gas to foreign
countries, raising prices for
Massachusetts businesses and
consumers.”
Senator Edward J. Markey

61. Before we sink more
money in gas
infrastructure, we have an
obligation wherever
possible to focus our
investments on the clean
technologies of the future -
- not the dirty fuels of the
past -- and to minimize the
environmental impact of all
our energy infrastructure
projects.
We can do better - and we
should.”
Senator Elizabeth Warren
Berkshire Eagle Op Ed, Aug. 12, 2014

62. LAND TRUST & CONSERVATION GROUPS who have issued statements
Franklin Land Trust
Nashua River Watershed Association
Mass Association of Conservation Commissions
Mass Audubon
Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition
Mount Grace Letter to the Governor Nashoba Conservations
Trust
North Quabbin Energy
Rattlesnake Gutter Trust
Trustees of Reservations

63. Local Endorsement
The Columbia County Environmental
Management Council unanimously
endorsed a resolution against the pipeline.

64. Coalition of groups fighting Northeastern Pipelines

65. What can we do?
• Educate ourselves
• Educate our neighbors
• Lobby town boards for resolutions and bans
• Lobby and write letters to legislators
• Write letters to the editor of local newspapers
• File comments to FERC

66. Let’s ask our legislators to:

67. Stop Energy Exemptions to the …
• Clean Air Act,
• Clean Water Act,
• Safe Drinking Water Act,
• Superfund Act and
• Freedom of Information Act,

68. Reduce leaks
Massachusetts just passed a resolutions to request state &
federal legislators to enact laws to tighten inspections of
pipelines and reduce leaks in distribution transmissions.
This will increase safety and usable gas and decrease
leaks, explosions and climate change.
Let’s do the same in New York.

69. Regulate odorants
Massachusetts regulates that odorants must
be put in all gas lines, urban or rural.
Let’s do the same in New York.

70. Reform FERC
Make the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERD) more accountable to the
public.

71. We rely on town officials to protect our
health and safety and our town
resources.
We have asked Chatham and New Lebanon
to pass a non-binding resolution in
opposition to the proposed pipeline. We
will be asking Canaan to do the same next
week.
We need our local officials to seek out
information about the proposed pipeline
and keep us informed
We need our local officials to get involved in
the process and make comments to FERC

72. Would you like to join us?

73. Presentation can be found at: