FERC waives state-issued water permit for Northern Access 2016

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission allowed a National Fuel Gas Supply Corp. and Empire Pipeline Inc. expansion project to bypass New York's water quality certification, saying state regulators waived their authority by missing a statutory deadline to approve or deny a permit for a natural gas pipeline that will connect to markets in New York, New England, Canada and the Midwest.

In an Aug. 6 order, FERC issued a waiver determination for a Clean Water Act Section 401 permit for the $455 million Northern Access 2016 project, in response to a December 2017 request from National Fuel Gas and Empire.

Mountain Valley halt is 'surprising, but not fatal,' observers say

Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC planned to stick to an early 2019 in-service date after the federal government shut down construction on its 2-Bcf/d natural gas pipeline project over problems with right of way, but energy industry analysts said it is more likely to come online in the middle of 2019 at the earliest due to this delay and others.

FERC ordered the halt after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit vacated permissions on July 27 from the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for a 3.5-mile crossing of the Jefferson National Forest.

FERC's divide on need for Spire STL pipeline may signal future battles

Democrats on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said the Republican majority made the wrong call when it found a St. Louis-area natural gas pipeline to be in the public interest, a flare-up that could preview court fights over the project and a major battle at the commission, which is updating its policy for reviewing applications to build pipeline projects.

Democratic Commissioners Cheryl LaFleur and Richard Glick dissented from the FERC approval of gas utility company Spire Inc.'s 400,000-Dth/d Spire STL Pipeline LLC gas pipeline in an Aug. 3 order. It was a case where the issue of public need was prominent.

Florida Southeast Connection can add affiliate's gas lateral, FERC says

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission allowed Florida Southeast Connection LLC to pick up a natural gas lateral from affiliate Florida Power & Light Co. and add it to its interstate pipeline system.

In an Aug. 6 order, FERC issued Florida Southeast Connection a Natural Gas Act certificate letting it acquire and operate the 38-mile Riviera lateral and related facilities in Florida's Martin and Palm Beach counties.

FERC authorizes US-Canada border pipeline by Steel Reef Infrastructure

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission gave Steel Reef Pipelines US LLC authorizations to site, construct and operate a natural gas import and export project at the border between the U.S. and Canada.