PennEast Pipeline Company was pleased to attend today’s Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) public hearing on PennEast’s application for approval of an air quality plan regarding PennEast Pipeline Project’s one-and-only compressor station along the approximately 120-mile route.
Above, the site of PennEast’s compressor station in Kidder Township, Carbon County, Pa.
“Today’s PA DEP hearing was another step forward in the Project’s nearly three-year regulatory review,” said Pat Kornick, spokesperson for PennEast Pipeline. “The PennEast Pipeline Project will help continue the increased use of natural gas, which is reducing American carbon dioxide emissions to levels not seen in 25 years, according to federal data. The PennEast Pipeline’s compressor station is a vital component to safely delivering clean natural gas to families and businesses and will bolster this positive environmental trend.”
The PennEast Pipeline Project and its proposed compressor station in Kidder Township, Carbon County, Pa., will comply with all applicable federal and Pennsylvania air quality requirements that protect the health of residents and the environment. As stated in the application, emissions from the compressor station will be less than the applicable major source thresholds. Air emissions also will be in compliance with the Clean Air Act, and are not expected to have a significant cumulative air quality impact within the Air Quality Control Regions of the project or the local area of the compressor station.
“The PennEast Pipeline will not result in significant air quality impacts, a fact confirmed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in its draft Environmental Impact Statement,” added Kornick. “As FERC also noted, PennEast has the potential to improve regional air quality as the additional natural gas it will deliver to users displaces more polluting fuels.”
Safeguarding not only local communities, but also the environment is PennEast’s highest priority. PennEast appreciates the comments shared by residents at PA DEP’s March 1 public hearing, and strongly reaffirms its commitment to implementing measures to minimize environmental impact.
Those measures include monitoring the Pipeline and equipment 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Additionally, before the Project is placed into service, all pressure containment systems will be leak-tested. Across the Project, 100 percent of welds will be x-rayed. At the compressor station, enclosed areas with high concentrations of fittings and valves will be equipped with permanent continuous gas detection devices. These and many other safety controls mean emissions will be minimized.
“Modern transmission pipeline design, construction practices, and safety measures have resulted in the sector’s methane emissions falling nearly 19 percent since 1990,” said Kornick. “The PennEast Pipeline and its state-of-the-art compressor station will continue this emissions decline by employing Best Available Technology throughout the Project. Such measures are important from safety, environmental and practical perspectives, as any loss of natural gas also would represent a loss of the product PennEast is contracted to deliver to customers.”
PennEast will continue to provide pertinent information to regulatory agencies, including PA DEP, to assist in their review of the Project. PennEast also will continue to work with communities along the route to address their concerns and questions.
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