Regulatory
Chemical Company Agrees to Provide Safe Drinking Water
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A plastics company believed to be the source of tainted groundwater in several New Hampshire communities has agreed to provide more than 300 homes with safe drinking water. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics reached an a..
Indiana House Member Picked for State Utility Commission
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana House utility committee chairman will be leaving the Legislature for a seat on the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission that oversees most of the state’s electricity and natural gas companies. Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb picked GOP Rep. David Ober of Albion as his ..
NASSCO Names Joy Executive Director
After an extensive, nationwide search, the Executive Board of the National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO) today announced the appointment of Sheila Joy as Executive Director, effective April 2, 2018. Joy will report to NASSCO’s Board of Directors and lead NASSCO in its ongoing missi..
American Water Partners with EPA to Promote Fix a Leak Week
American Water and its subsidiaries today announced a partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promote Fix a Leak Week, which runs from March 19-25. The national campaign, part of the EPA’s WaterSense program, helps to raise awareness about small leaks and what homeowners c..
Platte River Diversion Plan Reaches Lincoln
SMITHFIELD, Neb. (AP) — The first transfer of water from one river in Nebraska to another could be just over the horizon under a proposal that finally floated its way to Lincoln. Or this historic trans-basin diversion from the Platte River to the Republican River could join the list of similar sche..
Grand Canyon Pipeline Breaks Prompt More Steps to Save Water
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. (AP) — Grand Canyon National Park is implementing more stringent water use restrictions and conservation measures due to a series of breaks in the pipeline that supplies the South Rim. Park officials say the park will remain in conservation mode until water in stor..
New Pipeline Regulations Approved in Virginia
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam today approved additional powers to expand the state’s ability to protect clean water during the building of pipelines. SB698 and SB699 establish processes in state law to allow the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to issue a stop work order on all o..
ETP Mariner East Liquids Pipe Spills Fluid in Pennsylvania Again
(Reuters) – Pennsylvania environmental regulators on Friday issued another notice of violation to Energy Transfer Partners LP’s Sunoco Mariner East 2 natural gas liquids pipeline for releasing drilling fluids into a stream. The company told the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (D..
Atlantic Coast Pipeline Developer Cited for Tree-Felling Violations in Virginia
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) today issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to Atlantic Coast Pipeline, LLC (ACP) for failing to maintain adequate limits of disturbance during tree felling operations in violation of Virginia’s State Water Control Law. These limits forbid work wit..
Kentucky Regulators OK Hike for Troubled Water District
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — An emergency rate increase for a Kentucky water district that is on the brink of collapse has been approved by state regulators. The Kentucky Public Service Commission on Friday granted Martin County Water an annual revenue increase of about 26.5 percent. The commission said t..
Pennsylvania Regulators to Hold Water Contamination Hearing
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced it will hold a public hearing on March 26, 2018, to solicit comments concerning the investigation into water contamination in private water wells in Lycoming County. According to the DEP, six homes were found to have wate..
Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania Files to Recover Investment in Replacing and Upgrading Aging Infrastructure
Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, Inc., a subsidiary of NiSource Inc., filed a request today with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) to adjust its base rates for distribution service so it can continue to upgrade and replace the company’s underground natural gas distribution pipelines...
Kentucky Utility Fined $395,000 for 2014 Gas Line Rupture
The Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) has fined Louisville Gas and Electric Co. (LG&E) $395,000 for a series of violations that led to the September 2014 rupture of a high-pressure natural gas pipeline in Goshen, Oldham County. The penalty is the largest ever assessed by the PSC in a n..
Hydro One and Avista Reach Settlement in Principle in Washington Merger Case
Hydro One Limited and Avista Corporation today announced they have filed a Notification of a settlement with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC), with a settlement agreement between all parties involved to be filed no later than March 27, 2018. The settlement in principle..
Atlantic Coast Pipeline Developers Seek More Time for Tree Clearing
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Developers of the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline say they need more time to cut down trees along the project’s route and likely won’t make the initial deadline designed to protect migrating birds and endangered or threatened bats. Dominion Energy made the request to federal r..
Maryland Natural Gas Pipeline Receives Permit
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland issued a permit Friday for a proposed natural gas pipeline in western Maryland that has brought protesters to the state capital. The wetlands and waterways permit for the proposed Columbia Gas pipeline includes customized conditions specific to the project and its loc..
6 Months After Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico Pleads for Help
COROZAL, Puerto Rico (AP) — Hurricane Maria shredded the electric poles in this plantain farming town high in the mountains of central Puerto Rico, leaving tens of thousands of people without power or running water. Desperate, residents of the town’s Barrio Mana neighborhood asked federal officials ..
Required Training for Water District Boards Revamped in Kentucky
The Kentucky Public Service Commission (PSC) today announced newly appointed water district commissioners now will be required to receive training in key areas only through courses offered directly by the commission. According to the PSC, more consistent and rigorous training for new commissioners ..
New York Awards Almost $1 Million in Lake Ontario Flood Relief Funding
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the towns of Greece and Parma in Monroe County received more than $942,000 to restore and rebuild following last year’s Lake Ontario flooding. The funding is being used to reimburse for emergency costs as well as rebuild and fortify the infrastr..
Canadian Regulators OK Pipeline Abandonment Project
Canada’s National Energy Board (NEB) has approved TransCanada’s request to abandon a 266-kilometer section of the Peace River Mainline. The NEB attached 22 conditions to its approval. TransCanada initially applied to the NEB on Aug. 18, 2016 to abandon parts of the Peace River Mainline in Northwest..
FERC Reinstates Certificate for the Southeast Market Pipelines
In a split decision, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has reinstated its authorizations issued to Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC; Sabal Trail Transmission LLC; and Florida Southeast Connection LLC concerning the Southeast Market Pipelines (SMP) Project. Those dissenting ..
New York Launches Investigation Into Utility Storm Restoration Efforts
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the state’s Department of Public Service (DPS) has formally notified the chief executives of the state’s major electric utility companies that an investigation into preparedness of and response to two early March Nor’easters is now underway. The..
Ohio EPA Schedules Construction Storm Water General Permit Renewal Hearing
The Ohio EPA will hold a public hearing on March 28, 2018, to accept public comments about renewing the general permit for storm water discharges from construction sites in Ohio. The public hearing will take place in Conference Room A at Ohio EPA’s Central Office, 50 West Town Street, Suite 700, Co..
Rover Pipeline Work Stoppage Ordered in West Virginia
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – A company building a 713-mile-long natural gas pipeline has been ordered to halt construction after West Virginia inspectors cited 14 violations. The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports the offenses include leaving trash and construction debris partially buried on site, imprope..
Timeline Set for Environmental Analysis of Alaska LNG Project
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The federal agency responsible for studying the environmental impact of the Alaska LNG project has released a timeline for completing its review. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission announced Tuesday that it plans to release a draft of the final Environmental Impact..
Changes to Improve Wetland and Waterway Encroachment Permit Review Times Announced in Pennsylvania
As part of a statewide effort to reduce permit backlogs, Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced revisions to the instructions and forms for Chapter 105 General Permit Registrations relating to water obstructions and encroachments. These revisions will improve the..
Shuler Named PLCA's President of Associate Members
The Pipe Line Contractors Association (PLCA) today announced it has named Jared Shuler President of Associate Members. A PLCA member for the last nine years, Shuler, who previously served as the association’s senior vice president of pipeline contract services, will serve in his new role for a term..
API NY: Valley Lateral Pipeline Critical To New York’s Consumers, Workers
The New York branch of the American Petroleum Institute (API New York) today issued a statement applauding the federal district court decision to reject attempts by New York state regulators to block Millennium Pipeline’s Valley Lateral Project – a natural gas pipeline project in Orange County that ..
API: New Source Review Memorandum Offers Needed Infrastructure Permitting Clarity
The American Petroleum Institute (API) today released a statement praising the release of EPA’s memorandum on existing New Source Review (NSR) regulations. “EPA’s practical clarification to the language in the NSR regulations is a positive step that will help reduce uncertainty in the permitting pr..
North Carolina Republicans Want Pipeline Deal Probed
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Republicans continue to attack Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper over a $58 million agreement his office reached with utilities poised to build the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Now, the GOP hopes their criticism will get the attention of federal prosecutors. State Republica..
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- $5.3 billion, 516-mile pipeline to connect Texas to Arizona through New Mexico