President Trump’s infrastructure plan to speed up pipeline construction
Friday, April 20, 2018
Fourteen federal agencies have agreed to reduce the time needed for environmental reviews and permits on major infrastructure projects, according to Bloomberg.
Before this agreement, major projects, including pipelines, often required reviews and permitting by multiple agencies in a process administration officials have said is riddled with redundancy and unnecessary delays that can take years. This streamlining of permits, a major element of President Donald Trump’s infrastructure initiative, should speed the entire process up.
Under the agreement, one lead federal agency will be responsible for shepherding projects, including oil and natural gas pipelines, through the entire approval process. Timelines will be set for agencies to follow and agency reviews will be conducted concurrently, rather than sequentially.
The agencies covered by the accord are the departments of Energy, Interior, Transportation, Commerce and Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Learn more: Bloomberg > U.S. Agencies Agree to Slash Approval Times for Infrastructure Projects
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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.