FERC Issues Final Environmental Impact Statement for Algonquin Incremental Market Project

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") issued a final environmental impact statement ("EIS") for the Algonquin Incremental Market Project.

The project, which was proposed by Algonquin Gas Transmission, would involve construction on 37.4 miles of pipeline in New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. The project would also provide firm transportation service of 342,000 dekatherms per day of natural gas to local distribution companies and municipal utilities in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.

FERC concluded that construction and operation of the project would result in some adverse environmental impacts. FERC noted, however, that most of these impacts would be reduced to less-than-significant levels with the implementation of Algonquin's proposed mitigation measures, as well as the additional measures recommended by the FERC staff in the draft EIS. Some of the factors considered in this determination include:

• the majority of the pipeline facilities would replace existing Algonquin pipelines within existing rights-of-way;
• Algonquin would minimize impacts on natural and cultural resources during construction and operation of the project by implementing its Erosion and Sediment Control Plan; Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure Plan; Unexpected Contamination Encounter Procedures; Invasive Plant Species Control Plan; Best Drilling Practices Plan; Compensatory Mitigation Plan; Traffic Management Plans for New York and the West Roxbury Lateral; Procedures Guiding the Discovery of Unanticipated Cultural Resources and Human Remains; and Fugitive Dust Control Plan;
• Algonquin would utilize the horizontal directional drill method to cross the Hudson and Still Rivers, which would avoid any direct impacts on these resources; and
• FERC would ensure compliance with all of their mitigation measures.

See: FERC Final EIS; FERC Press Release.