FERC commissioner resignation puts pipelines on hold
Monday, February 20, 2017
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is one commissioner short, following the resignation of Norman Bay at the beginning of the month. According to the Associated Press, natural gas pipeline projects along the East Coast and in the Midwest face uncertainty due to an inability to decide on projects indefinitely at this time.
Leaving the five-member panel with just two commissioners, Bay’s absence left the panel one member short and unable to approve projects.
Over $10 billion in pipeline projects are in limbo, including Nexus pipeline in Ohio and Michigan, PennEast pipeline in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and Northern Access pipeline in Pennsylvania and New York.
Learn more: Times News > PennEast project in limbo as energy official departs
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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.