Source: http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/110557.html
Timestamp: 2017-10-18 11:19:49
Document Index: 783662663

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 231', 'art 231', 'art 621', '§1341', '§608', 'arts 700', '§608', '§663', '§200', '§317']

﻿ Eastern System Upgrade Project - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation
Home » Permits, Licenses, and Registrations » Permit Programs » Permit Documentation for Notable Projects » Eastern System Upgrade Project
DEC subjects all applications for environmental permits to an extensive and transparent review process that encourages public input at every step. After a rigorous review of Millennium Pipeline Company, LLC's (Millennium's) application for a Water Quality Certification (WQC) and related permits, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) determined that the Eastern System Upgrade (ESU) project meets State water quality standards and has issued a WQC and related permits.
By contrast, DEC conditionally denied Millennium's Valley Lateral project based in part on the inadequacy of the environmental review conducted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which failed to account for downstream greenhouse gas emissions. Unlike Millennium's proposed Valley Lateral project - which would be built solely to serve a new energy facility - the purpose of the ESU project is to ensure that existing customer demand is met along Millennium's existing system. The ESU pipeline would run primarily within or adjacent to existing rights-of-way.
The Eastern System Upgrade project includes the construction of a new 7.8 mile pipeline (30- and 36-inch-diameter) loop (Huguenot Loop), a new compressor station (Highland Compressor Station), a compressor station upgrade (Hancock Compressor Station), and modifications at the existing Ramapo Meter Station, Wagoner Interconnect, Huguenot Meter Station and Westtown Meter Station, to provide approximately 223,000 dekatherms per day (Dth/d) of firm transportation service from Millennium's existing Corning Compressor Station to an interconnect with Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC in Ramapo, New York. The Eastern System Upgrade project components are located in multiple towns in Delaware, Orange, Rockland and Sullivan Counties.
The Huguenot Loop will be installed across six Article 15 protected streams (Neversink River, Shin Hollow Brook (2), unnamed tributaries to Shawangunk Kill (2) and Rutgers Creek). Five of the protected streams will be crossed via trenchless methods (no impacts) and one protected stream, Shin Hollow Brook (Class C(T)), will be open trenched resulting in a temporary impact to the bed and banks of approximately three linear feet. Additionally, the Huguenot Loop will be installed via trenchless methods across four federally regulated streams (no impacts) and via open trench across four other federally regulated streams resulting in a temporary impact to the bed and banks of those streams for a total of approximately 12 linear feet.
The Huguenot Loop will also cross three (3) state regulated Freshwater Wetlands (UN-1, OT-33 and UN-7). Freshwater Wetlands UN-1 and OT-33 will be crossed via trenchless methods (no impacts) and UN-7 will be crossed via an open-cut method which will result in a permanent impact of 0.06 acres. In addition, a total of 2.54 acres of federally regulated wetlands will be temporarily impacted by the construction of the pipeline lateral and 1.54 acres of federally regulated wetlands will be permanently impacted by the operation of the pipeline lateral, plus 0.18 acres of permanent forested wetland conversion impacts.
Air State Facility Permits:
Hancock Compressor Station (Existing Facility - Air State Facility Permit)
As part of the Eastern System Upgrade Project and in order to boost pressures on Millennium's transmission pipeline system, Millennium is proposing to construct and operate one Solar Titan 130E compressor turbine in addition to the existing Solar Mars 100 compressor turbine at the Hancock Compressor Station. The Solar Titan 130E turbine will be equipped with a SoLoNOx burner to reduce emissions of oxides of nitrogen and an oxidation catalyst to reduce emissions of carbon monoxide. The project emission potential for this modification does not exceed the major facility thresholds in Table 5 of 6 NYCRR Part 231, and is therefore not subject to review under 6 NYCRR Part 231. Ancillary project emission sources include one 1,230 horsepower Waukesha VGF48GL emergency generator, one 1.2 MMBtu/hr fuel gas heater, and one 1,500 gallon lube oil tank. Millennium has also committed to installing an oxidation catalyst on the existing Solar Mars 100 compressor turbine within 24 months of the commencement of operation of the new Solar Titan 30E turbine
As part of the Eastern System Upgrade project and in order to boost pressures on Millennium's natural gas transmission pipeline system, Millennium is proposing to construct and operate one Solar Titan 130E compressor turbine at the Highland Compressor Station. The turbine is equipped with a SoLoNOx burner and an oxidation catalyst for emissions control. Ancillary project emission sources include one 1,230 horsepower emergency generator, one 1.2 MMBtu/hr gas heater, one 4,000 gallon natrual gas liquids tank, and a 1,500 gallon oil tank.
Millennium applied for and the DEC issued the following permits: Section 401 Water Quality Certification, Article 24 Freshwater Wetlands Permit, Article 15 Protection of Waters Permit, and Article 19 Air State Facility Permits.
These applications were filed and reviewed pursuant to Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) Article 3, Title 3 (General Functions, Powers, Duties and Jurisdiction), and Article 70 (Uniform Procedures Act or UPA); and pursuant to Title 6 of Official Compilation of Codes, Rules and Regulations of the State of New York (6 NYCRR) Part 621- Uniform Procedures. The relevant provisions for the Water Quality Certificate are found at: Section 401 of the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 USCA §1341) and the regulations promulgated at 6 NYCRR §608.9 and 6 NYCRR Parts 700 - 706 and 750. The regulations for ECL Articles 15 and 24 are found at 6 NYCRR §608 and §663 respectively. The regulations for ECL Article 19 are found at §200 through §317.
Millennium filed an application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (Certificate) with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on August 25, 2016 to construct and operate the Eastern System Upgrade Project. FERC is the lead agency for the environmental review of interstate natural gas pipelines. On March 31, 2017, FERC staff prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Eastern System Upgrade Project proposed in Docket No. CP16-486, in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
The DEC relied upon the federal NEPA environmental impact review process conducted by FERC to complete its review of the permit applications submitted by applicants to the DEC and to ultimately make a determination whether to issue its authorizations. In accordance with Section 401 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), applicants seeking a federal license or permit for activities that may result in a discharge to federally regulated waters must obtain a WQC from the DEC indicating that the proposed activity will comply with State water quality standards.
Application materials for the Eastern System Upgrade Project can be viewed and downloaded at Millennium's website. (link leaves DEC website)
Hancock Compressor Station Air State Facility Permit (PDF) (141 KB)
Highland Compressor Station Air State Facility Permit (PDF) (126 KB)
Water Quality Certification (PDF) (425 KB)
Questions on the project can be submitted to: millenniumESUproject@dec.ny.gov.