Millennium Pipeline Delayed Again

December 2003 U.S. Commerce Secretary Donald Evans upheld a New York state ruling blocking the proposed Millennium Pipeline natural gas line from crossing the Hudson River at Haverstraw Bay. Evans' 39-page decision reasons that the 530-mile, Ontario-to-Mount Vernon line could cross the river at less sensitive environmental.   Millennium officials believe the route is the only one that  will work. The lead pipeline developer, the Columbia Gas Transmission Corp., based in Fairfax, Virginia will probably  pursue the alternative routes. 

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission twice approved plans for the 420-mile New York state portion of the line, the second time on Sept. 18, 2002. Westchester County opposes the project. Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano has pledged to fight any attempt to plot the line through county property or across county roads.  The high-pressure line would run 17 miles through Rockland County and more than 30 miles through Westchester. Opponents fear the pipeline will could explode, possibly as a target of terrorism.

Litigation

Feb 2004 -- Columbia Gas Transmission Corp (CGT Corp) filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C on Friday, February 13, 2004 to gain the right to cross the Hudson River with a natural gas line. The Millennium Pipeline intends provide natural gas from Canada and connect to New York City through Westchester County. The federal court filing is in response to U.S. Commerce Secretary Donald Evans upholding New York Secretary of State Randy Daniels ruling blocking the proposed natural gas line from crossing the Hudson River at environmentally sensitive Haverstraw Bay. Daniels made his ruling under the federal Coastal Zone Management Act, overseen by the Commerce department. Columbia Gas had appealed that decision to Evans, who made his decision in December (See article above).

Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano opposes the Millennium Pipeline except when he is opposing the Indian Point nuclear power plant.  Depending on the forum he states that the Millennium pipeline is needed to fuel electric power plants that would replace Indian Point’s 2,000 megawatts if it is shut down.

The entire 530-mile line from Dawn, Ontario, to Mount Vernon, will supply 700 million cubic feet of natural gas a day, connecting with a Consolidated Edison line that delivers energy to New York City.  CGT Corp will build the line in two sections, starting with a 186-mile length from Corning, N.Y.  Millennium Phase 1 will supply 500 million cubic feet of gas a day to various customers generally outside New York City. Half of it will come from the only new route in the first phase of the project, an 83-mile extension of another line, the Empire State Pipeline. The Empire State Pipeline connection running from near Rochester to Corning, The Millennium section would replace an existing Columbia line.

KeySpan energy company will become an anchor customer. KeySpan serves 2.5 million customers on Long Island, in New York City and New England. The gas will be transported through the existing Algonquin Pipeline, which already crosses the Hudson River.

In their latest filing, Columbia renewed its argument that Daniels did not make his ruling within a statutory six-month deadline. The company also argues that Evans looked for unreasonable levels of proof that the project is needed and that alternative routes were not feasible. Daniels' office has said the deadline was exceeded only after state and Millennium officials agreed to extend it.