ALLEGANY, N.Y. — Four days after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved the National Fuel Gas Northern Access Pipeline Project, a state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) hearing on the route will he held tonight at St. Bonaventure University.
The DEC hearing, at 6 p.m. today in Room E-140 at Doyle Hall, deals with National Fuel Gas Supply Corp.’s Water Quality Certification Application and its Air State Facility Permit Application.
The Northern Access Pipeline would run from McKean County, Pa., under the Allegheny River, through the southwest corner of Allegany County and through the towns of Portville, Hinsdale, Ischua, Franklinville, Machias and Yorkshire. It would cross Erie and Niagara counties, as well, where there is some local opposition to a compressor station and a dehydration facility in Niagara County.
Tonight’s legislative public hearing, conducted by a DEC officer, is expected to focus on opposition to the crossing of 192 streams — 35 of which are bridge crossings with no pipeline crossing. Nineteen of the streams are protected streams and 19 others flow into protected streams. Five of the streams will be crossed with horizontal drilling techniques; three will be bored and the rest of the streams will be crossed using the dry crossing method. The pipeline would be 24 inches in diameter and is designed to move National Fuel’s Marcellus shale gas from McKean County to interstate pipelines in Erie and Niagara counties. The gas could also be shipped across the border for sale in Ontario, Canada.
“As a Buffalo-based company that built, owns and operates nearly 10,000 miles of pipeline in New York state, FERC’s approval of the Northern Access Project is an important next step in our ability to continue to invest in the essential pipeline infrastructure serving New York state and interconnected markets,” said National Fuel Gas spokesman Karen Merkel.
Lia Oprea of Sardinia, founder of WECAP (Wyoming, Erie and Cattaraugus Communities Act on Pipeline), said in an email to WECAP members, landowners and supporters that FERC announced it had granted National Fuel the “Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity.”
She said this effectively means that National Fuel can use eminent domain for the Northern Access Pipeline if the DEC gives them the water rights to begin this project.
“The FERC certificate is one of two certificates National Fuel is waiting for,” Oprea said. “They still need the DEC 401 Water and Air Certificates.”
Additional DEC hearings are scheduled in Elma at Iroquois High School on Wednesday, and Thursday at Niagara County Community College in Sanborn. All hearings will start at 6 p.m.
