FERC approves Atlantic Coast, Mountain Valley pipelines
Monday, October 23, 2017
The Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley pipelines recently received approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, according to The Associated Press. However, the FERC certificates came with conditions, and other necessary permits for the projects are still pending.
The approval gives the developers behind the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley pipelines the authority to use eminent domain to acquire land in the proposed paths if they can’t come to an agreement with a landowner.
Both pipelines are being constructed to move natural gas from the Marcellus and Utica shale formations in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia to the Southeast. The $3.5 billion Mountain Valley pipeline will stretch 303 miles and move up to 2 billion cubic feet per day from West Virginia to Virginia. The Atlantic Coast pipeline will span 600 miles and it will move up to 1.5 billion cubic feet per day from West Virginia to Virginia and North Carolina. It will cost approximately $5 billion.
Learn more: The Daily Progress > U.S. regulators OK Atlantic Coast, Mountain Valley pipelines
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.