Environmental groups file petition against Atlantic Coast Pipeline
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
A trio of environmental groups has filed a petition with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to stop construction on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, according to the Charlotte Business Journal. They have also asked that there be a new hearing to determine whether the project can proceed.
The groups allege that construction the FERC authorized last month in West Virginia violates the federal Endangered Species Act because of a court ruling that invalidated part of a required approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The Atlantic Coast Pipeline LLC denies that the court ruling invalidates the Fish and Wildlife Service’s approval, saying the pipeline is free to proceed with FERC-permitted construction in areas not impacted by the endangered species requirements.
Learn more: Charlotte Business Journal > Environmental groups file petition to stop Atlantic Coast Pipeline construction
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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.