US Supreme Court rules in favor of PennEast pipeline
Friday, July 2, 2021
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the PennEast pipeline in a 5-4 vote on Tuesday, overturning a lower court’s decision that blocked the company from condemning state-owned land in New Jersey to move the project forward, according to NJ Spotlight News.
The court’s decision could make it easier for future pipeline projects to be built.
“We have repeatedly upheld these exercises of eminent domain power — whether by government or a private corporation, whether through an upfront taking or direct condemnation proceeding and whether against private property or state-owned land,’’ Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the decision.
Although the recent victory is a relief for the PennEast pipeline project, it still faces big challenges both in courts and with regulatory agencies before it can begin construction.
Learn more: NJ Spotlight News > US Supreme Court clears way for pipeline
Leave a Comment
Marcellus & Utica Shale Well Map
Additional Shale Maps
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.