Franklin Township Green Acres Scoping Hearing

Transcription

1 Franklin Township Green Acres Scoping Hearing May 8, 2012

2 > Introductions Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC Bill Bates, Project Manager Allen Smith, Environmental Scientist Tim Thuston, Public Outreach 2

3 Purpose of this Scoping Hearing The scoping hearing is being held in connection with Transco s proposed Northeast Supply Link Project. Franklin Township is considering the proposed diversion of a portion of parkland identified as Block 4, Lots 3 & 3.01 New Jersey Administrative Code (N.J.A.C.) 7: Major disposals or diversions of parkland; scoping hearing (a) Prior to submitting a pre-application to Green Acres for a major disposal or diversion of parkland under N.J.A.C. 7: , a local government unit or nonprofit intending to seek approval of a major disposal or diversion of parkland shall conduct a scoping hearing to solicit preliminary public comment on the proposed disposal or diversion. 3

4 Purpose of this Scoping Hearing (d) At the scoping hearing, the local government unit or nonprofit shall: 1. Explain that the purpose of the hearing is to accept public comment on a major disposal or diversion of parkland that is under consideration; 2. Describe the proposed disposal or diversion, including the lands affected, the total acreage of parkland to be affected and the project for which the disposal or diversion is sought; 3. Set forth the compelling public need that the project would fulfill, the significant public benefit it would yield, or the exceptional recreational and/or conservation benefit it would provide; 4. Discuss past and ongoing efforts to identify alternatives to the proposed disposal or diversion considered by the local government unit or nonprofit and the reason(s) for rejecting any alternatives, and, to the extent known, the compensation that the local government unit or nonprofit would provide for the proposed disposal or diversion; and 5. Accept comment on any alternative sites suggested by the public and on alternative methods of achieving its project objectives without the diversion or disposal of parkland. 4

5 Who is Williams Who is Transco > Williams owns & operates the Transco interstate natural gas pipeline. > Transco pipeline system consists of 10,000 miles of pipeline and 52 compressor stations and storage facilities. > System design capacity of 9.6 bcf/day. Enough energy to heat approximately 42 million homes every day. > Transports 8% of the natural gas consumed in the U.S. 5

6 Northeast Supply Link: Project Overview > Project Components Three pipeline loops Muncy (Lycoming County, Pennsylvania) Palmerton (Monroe County, Pennsylvania) Stanton (Hunterdon County, New Jersey) One pipeline replacement Caldwell B Loop Two pipeline uprates Caldwell Uprate Long Island Extension Uprate Aboveground Facilities New facilities Compressor Station 303 Modifications to existing facilities Compressor Station 505 Compressor Station 515 > What is a pipeline loop? A segment of pipeline installed adjacent to an existing pipeline and connected to it at both ends A loop allows more gas to be moved through the system 6

7 Northeast Supply Link: Project Overview 7

8 The FERC Regulatory Process > FERC is the governing body that determines whether the project is needed and in the public s best interest > Transco seeks approval for pipeline expansion projects by filing an application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity > FERC requires concurrent filing of federal and state permit applications > Transco filed the FERC Application for the Northeast Supply Link project, which includes the proposed Stanton Loop, in December, 2011 and is now working under docket number CP12-30 > Environmental document is anticipated to be issued by Summer 2012 > FERC Order requested Fall 2012 > Should the Project be approved, the construction start date is anticipated to be winter 2012 with the anticipated in-service date being November 1,

9 Franklin Township: What lands are proposed to be diverted? > The proposed Stanton Loop will affect two (2) adjacent parcels within the Green Acres inventory for Franklin Township: Block 4, Lot 3 Block 4, Lot 3.01 > Transco proposes to acquire Temporary workspace totaling acres (adjacent to existing easement) An exclusive rights easement totaling acres (within Transco s existing permanent and maintained easement) A ground bed easement totaling acres 9

10 Proposed Temporary Workspace 10

11 Proposed Exclusive Rights Easement and Ground Bed Easement 11

12 Proposed Exclusive Rights Easement Existing Valve Site 12

13 Proposed Exclusive Rights Easement Existing Valve Site 13

14 Northeast Supply Link Expansion Project Public Need > The public need is determined by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission when a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity is issued > Transport natural gas to meet increasing demand for energy in Northeastern U.S. > Provide an additional 250,000 dekatherms per day (dt/day) of firm incremental transportation service > Provide access to new sources of domestic natural gas supply and support the overall reliability of the energy infrastructure > The Project s incremental volumes of gas are fully contracted > Cleaner source of fuel than coal or petroleum 14

15 Northeast Supply Link Alternatives - Franklin Township 15

16 Northeast Supply Link Alternatives - Franklin Township Route Length of Alternative Acres of New ROW Required 1 Length of Green Acres Crossed Acres of Newly Impacted Green Acres Land Proposed Route Alternative Alternative Alternative New ROW is based on actual area for the proposed route and on a typical 50 ROW for the alternatives 16

17 Northeast Supply Link Alternatives - Franklin Township > Two existing pipelines and their above-ground facilities predate the acquisition of the parcel by Franklin Twp with Green Acres funds > Additional right-of-way ( ROW ) and most temporary workspace needed for construction were acquired prior to the Nouiga parcel being encumbered with Green Acres restrictions > Expansion of existing ROWs preferred by the FERC and the NJDEP to the creation of a new ROW corridor because: New ROW would result in far greater land use impacts Expansion is safer, easier to monitor and more efficient from an operational perspective > There is no feasible or reasonable alternative but to request the additional small areas identified in the proposed design 17

18 Other Alternatives > No-Action Alternative Transco would not construct the project Energy Conservation Energy Alternatives (coal, oil) Nuclear Renewable Energy Sources (solar, hydroelectric, wind, geothermal, fuel cells, wood) > System Alternatives make use of other existing, modified, or proposed pipeline systems > Construction Alternatives Horizontal Directional Drilling Reduced temporary construction ROW Reduced permanent operational ROW > Route Alternatives 18

19 Compensation > If Franklin Township decides to proceed with the diversion, it will negotiate with Transco for the rights needed to build the proposed Project and will be compensated in accordance with Green Acres regulations. 19

20 Scoping Period You may submit written comments by June 7, 2012 to Ursula V. Stryker, RMC, Municipal Clerk, Township of Franklin, 202 Sidney Road, Pittstown, New Jersey A copy of any written comments must also be provided by you to New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Green Acres Program, Bureau of Legal Services and Stewardship, Mail Code , P.O. Box 420, Trenton, New Jersey Information on the Project is available at (Docket # CP12-30) 20