national fuel€¦ · 03-11-2015 · resource report 10 – alternatives northern access 2016...
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national fuel Kenneth E. Webster (716) 857-7067 Attorney
NATIONAL FUEL GAS SUPPLY CORPORATION / 6363 MAIN STREET / WILLIAMSVILLE, NY 14221-5887
November 3, 2015 Ms. Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 888 First Street, N.E. Washington, DC 20426 RE: National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation and Empire Pipeline, Inc. Northern Access 2016 Project Docket No. CP15-115-001 Dear Ms. Bose: On November 2, 2015, National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation and Empire Pipeline, Inc. (collectively “Applicants”) submitted an amendment to their Joint Abbreviated Application (“Amendment”) for their Northern Access 2016 Project. Applicants hereby supplement their Amendment with the enclosed environmental information:
• Supplement to Resource Report 4 - correspondence from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; and
• Updated Resource Report 10 – Alternatives. Please direct any questions concerning this filing to the undersigned. Very truly yours, /s/ Kenneth Webster Attorney National Fuel Gas Supply Corporation and Attorney for Empire Pipeline, Inc. Enc. cc: Christine Allen (Project Manager) All Parties
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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that I have this day served, in accordance with the provisions of Rule 2010 of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure, the foregoing document upon each person designated on the official service list compiled by the Secretary of the Commission in this proceeding. Dated at Williamsville, New York this 3rd day of November, 2015.
/s/ Janet R. Bayer Janet R. Bayer National Fuel Gas Supply Corp. 6363 Main Street Williamsville, New York 14221 Telephone No. (716) 857-7429
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Addendum to Appendix 4-A
State SHPO Correspondence
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NATIONAL FUEL GAS SUPPLY CORPORATION
AND EMPIRE PIPELINE, INC.
Northern Access 2016 Project
UPDATES TO RESOURCE REPORT 10
Alternatives
FERC Docket No. CP15-115-001
Submitted: November 3, 2015
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Resource Report 10 – Alternatives Northern Access 2016 Project
10-1
RESOURCE REPORT 10 – ALTERNATIVES
Additional information for RR10 Alternatives is provided below. This information is intended to
update that which was provided under Section 10.5.1 Pendleton Compressor Station Site
Alternatives in National Fuel’s March 17, 2015 FERC filing. Table updates are shown in red ink.
10.5.1 Pendleton Compressor Station Site Alternatives
Table 10.5-1 has been updated to present a comparison of the new proposed site on Killian Road
(preferred site) for the Pendleton Compressor Station, the previously proposed site, and alternative
sites that have been considered. The following subsections provide details regarding the site
selection process and criteria that were employed to determine the proposed site for the Pendleton
Compressor Station. The preferred site was determined to be the site that best met the Project
objectives. All site alternatives and corresponding required transmission lines are identified on an
updated Figure 10.5-1, provided following the text.
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Resource Report 10 – Alternatives Northern Access 2016 Project
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Table 10.5-1 Comparison of Proposed Pendleton Compressor Station Locations
Siting Criteria Unit
New Proposed
Site – Killian
Road
(Preferred
Site)
Previously
Proposed
Site – Aiken
Road
Alternative
Site 1
Alternative
Site 2
Alternative
Site 3
Alternative
Site 4
Alternative
Site 5
(Cambria)1
Alternative
Site 6
(Wheatfield)2
Size of Site acres 20 40 10 28 82 28 unknown 20
Contiguous
Developable
Upland Area acres 18.7 29 0 5 7 24 unknown 6
Site Acquisition
Feasible and
Timely yes/no yes yes yes no no no unknown yes
Existing Land Use type Agricultural
Idle
agricultural
Idle
agricultural
Idle
agricultural
Idle
agricultural
Idle
agricultural Forest, open Forest, open
Zoning type Light Industrial
R2-
Residential
R2-
Residential
R1-
Residential
R1-
Residential
R1-
Residential Industrial
M-1,
Industrial-1
Length of
Suction/Discharge
pipelines required
(approx.) feet
minimal
(connection to
transmission
line onsite) 125 125 1,310 470 125
minimal
(connection
to
transmission
line onsite) 150
Required Related
Transmission Line
Length miles 2.07 3.05 3.90 2.40 1.10 0.60 11.22a 3.34
Wetlands on site acres 1.3 9.6 8.8 5.8 21.9 2.2 0.77 14.0b
Waterbody
Crossings by
Related
Transmission Line quantity 2 3 3 2 1 0 5 2
Potential for
Flooding4 n/a
Low – site
outside of
FEMA 100
year floodplain
Low – site
outside of
FEMA 100
year
floodplain
High – site
within FEMA
100 yr.
floodplain
Low – site
outside of
FEMA 100
year
floodplain
High – site
within FEMA
100 yr.
floodplain and
portion of
property
within
regulated
floodway
Low –
majority of
site outside
of FEMA
100 year
floodplain
Low –
majority of
site outside
of FEMA
100 year
floodplain
Low –
majority of
site outside of
FEMA 100
year
floodplain
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Resource Report 10 – Alternatives Northern Access 2016 Project
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Siting Criteria Unit
New Proposed
Site – Killian
Road
(Preferred
Site)
Previously
Proposed
Site – Aiken
Road
Alternative
Site 1
Alternative
Site 2
Alternative
Site 3
Alternative
Site 4
Alternative
Site 5
(Cambria)1
Alternative
Site 6
(Wheatfield)2
Estimated Access
driveway length feet 800
2,680 Beach
Ridge Rd
option / 1,150
XM-10
option 3,740 2,370 1,590 2,060 1,300 400
Distance to nearest
Noise Sensitive
Area (NSA) feet 1,300 830 1,950 1,870 870 640 2,200 2,450
Access to public
roads and
availability of
electrical power n/a Good Good Poor Good Good Good Good Good
Number of parcels
with houses
(within 0.5 miles)3 quantity 75 80 20 45 252 241 6 390
Topography
suitable yes/no yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes
Prime Farmland acres 20 39 10 28 82 17 0 0
Potential to affect
endangered or
threatened species,
or other sensitive
wildlife or
fisheries4 n/a
Within
potential
Northern long-
eared Bat range
Within
potential
Northern
long-eared
Bat range
Within
potential
Northern
long-eared
Bat range
Within
potential
Northern long-
eared Bat
range
Within
potential
Northern long-
eared Bat
range
Within
potential
Northern
long-eared
Bat range
Within
potential
Northern
long-eared
Bat range
Within
potential
Northern
long-eared
Bat range Notes: a The length of the suction pipeline required is 7.55 miles. The length of the discharge pipeline required is 3.64 miles, all of which would be parallel to the suction pipeline. b Only the southern 10 acres of the Wheatfield site were surveyed, of which 4 acres were delineated as wetlands. Publicly available data illustrates all 10 acres of the northern
portion of the site as forested and freshwater emergent wetlands. 1 Refer to text following this table for additional analysis of the Cambria Site Alternative. 2 Refer to text following this table for additional analysis of the Wheatfield Site Alternative. 3 Number of parcels with houses within 0.5 miles was calculated using Niagara County parcel data for parcels in this radius that included data in the field “Year Built.” Note:
This methodology differs from actual house count within 0.5 miles of the compressor station of 32 houses which was utilized for other public disclosures related to the
Preferred Site. 4 Data Source: NYSDEC Environmental Resource Mapper.
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Resource Report 10 – Alternatives Northern Access 2016 Project
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New Proposed Site – Killian Road (Preferred Site)
This site is 20 acres of primarily farm fields, with a small portion of forest and shrub land. For
this preferred site, Empire would construct an approximately 2.07-mile long 16”/24” pipeline
(which would become part of its Line EMP-03 after construction) in lieu of the previously
proposed 3.05-mile Replacement Pipeline. This site is zoned Light Industrial and permits essential
services, such as the subject natural gas infrastructure. This site also allows Empire to avoid
significant construction/pipeline replacement along the Frontier Chemical hazardous waste site,
addressing a concern expressed by various community stakeholders related to the previously
proposed Aiken Road site. Thus, the Killian Road site is considered a more suitable location for
the proposed compressor station than the previously proposed site located adjacent to Aiken Road.
Previously Proposed Site – Aiken Road
This property is 40 acres of a combination of farm fields, reverting farm fields, shrub land, and
forest. Approximately 9 acres of the site are wetlands. The site proximity to Empire’s existing
XM-10 line is closer than the new proposed site, but requires Empire to replace 3.05 miles of 16”
OD pipeline with a new 24” OD pipeline (replacing almost all - 3.05 of 3.09 miles – of National
Fuel’s existing Line XM-10). The land use is zoned R-2 residential. In response to community
stakeholder concerns about land use compatibility within a residential zoning district, and an
impasse between the landowner and Empire as to an option to purchase the site, Empire has
eliminated this site from consideration.
Alternative Site 5 (Cambria)
In response to various community stakeholder comments, Empire conducted a desktop analysis
concerning the feasibility of locating the compressor station near an existing compressor station in
the Town of Cambria, Niagara County, New York. Analysis was conducted on a 24” OD pipeline
routed northerly from National Fuel’s existing Line X to a compressor station site adjacent to a
compressor station operated by Tennessee Gas Pipeline on Junction Road in Cambria, New York
(approximately 3.64 miles north of Empire’s mainline pipeline and 7.55 miles north of National
Fuel’s existing Line X pipeline) and then routed back to the south with a 16” OD pipeline to an
interconnect with the existing Empire mainline pipeline. This preliminary route was selected from
GIS/Aerial Imagery with the goal of commencing the review at an existing National Fuel pig
launcher/receiver facility located at an interconnect between National Fuel’s existing Line X-North
and Line XM-10 pipelines.
Approximately 3.91 miles of the pipeline route would consist of Empire’s replacement of the entire
existing Line XM-10 and EMP-03 16” OD pipelines (from Line X-North to the Empire mainline)
with a new 24” OD pipeline to accommodate the required flowrate at Line X-North pressure. This
pipeline would be constructed using existing pipeline ROW, including the section adjacent to the
Frontier Chemical hazardous waste site. Additionally, 3.64 miles of new 24” OD pipeline north
of the Empire mainline would be required to connect to the northern terminus of Line EMP-03 to
the compressor station site. The entire length of new 24” OD pipeline required on the suction side
of the compressor station (from the southern terminus of existing Line XM-10 to the proposed
compressor station) would be 7.55 miles. The new pipeline required on the discharge side of the
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Resource Report 10 – Alternatives Northern Access 2016 Project
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compressor station (from the proposed compressor station back to the Empire mainline) would be
an additional approximately 3.64 miles. This discharge side pipeline would utilize the same ROW
as the northern end of the suction side pipeline (“Double Pipeline ROW”), 25 feet offset from the
suction side pipeline. The total length of new or replacement pipeline required would be
approximately 11.22 miles, although due to co-location of a portion of the pipeline, the length of
ROW used would be 7.55 miles.
This 7.55-mile pipeline ROW would use an existing pipeline and abandoned railroad corridor, but
would need to be expanded in width onto adjoining properties along the Double Pipeline ROW to
accommodate two new transmission pipelines. The railroad ROW is already congested with two
separate brine lines and other utilities currently utilizing the subterranean space. The 24” OD
pipeline would be offset a distance of 25 feet from existing utilities, with the 16” OD pipeline
offset an additional 25 feet. The majority of the route would be located in agricultural land and
would require a standard 100 feet typical construction ROW to accommodate two transmission
pipelines in the ROW, plus typically an additional 25 feet of additional temporary workspace for
agricultural mitigation techniques.
Other land use types crossed by this route include forest, open, roadway, and residential.
Additionally, approximately 5 acres of National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) mapped wetlands
would be impacted by construction of these pipelines. This pipeline route is also in close proximity
to residential subdivisions.
A new compressor station would need to be constructed adjacent to the existing Cambria
Compressor Station, which is functionally independent and connected to an independent pipeline
system (with different downstream connectivity) and already operates at capacity and at lower
operating pressure. Of this proposed site, 20 acres would be necessary for construction and
approximately 8 acres would be permanently developed, and approximately 81 percent is forested
and the rest is open land. The forested area would need to be cleared prior to construction and the
permanent 8 acre site would not be allowed to revert to this cover type following construction of
the compression facilities.
This proposed alternate site and pipeline route as described, based on the limited field review
available, appears to be constructible, but would add a significant length (approximately 48,312
feet or 9.15 miles) of pipeline to the Project. In addition to substantial incremental environmental
impacts to wetlands and forested habitat for wildlife (including potentially the threatened northern
long-eared bat, which is in range), this alternative would have temporary impacts on local traffic
during construction in the area with its six additional road crossings. The Cambria site, in
particular its required 11.22 miles of pipeline, presents unnecessary impacts to environmental
resources and is therefore not preferred.
Alternative Site 6 (Wheatfield)
Empire conducted additional desktop analysis on siting the compressor station on the same parcel
as the proposed Wheatfield Dehydration Facility site in the Town of Wheatfield, Niagara County,
New York. The proposed pipeline route that would connect National Fuel’s Line X-North to the
Wheatfield alternative site would be approximately 3.34 miles in length. The pipeline would
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Resource Report 10 – Alternatives Northern Access 2016 Project
10-6
commence at National Fuel’s existing Nash Road Meter and Regulator Station at Line X-North,
located approximately 630 feet east of Nash Road in the Town of North Tonawanda, Niagara
County, New York. The pipeline would then be routed westward with the intent of locating
adjacent to the existing National Grid power line corridor. The pipeline would abut a 75-foot-
wide ROW that contains two high voltage aboveground power lines that are 25 feet apart, in
addition to two brine pipelines located between the power lines, and a third line outboard of the
powerlines.
The area surrounding this existing ROW is heavily populated, and where it is undeveloped,
forested wetlands are prevalent. Assuming a 75-foot-wide construction ROW for construction of
the pipeline, approximately 17 acres of NWI wetlands would be crossed, the majority of which are
forested. In a proposed 50-foot-wide permanent ROW of approximately 20 acres, over half of the
acreage impacted is wetlands (approximately 12 acres). Forested wetlands would not be allowed
to revert back to previous conditions following construction if they are located in the permanently
maintained ROW.
Safety would be a concern during construction of this pipeline due to the proximity to the existing
aboveground power lines. It would be difficult to construct a pipeline adjacent to the towers and
also avoid homes and existing infrastructure, while maintaining a safe working distance from the
outside conductor. Seven road crossings would be necessary for the construction of this pipeline.
The crossing of Nash, Witmer, and Ward Roads would likely require horizontal directional drilling
(HDD) due to residential and commercial congestion and the limited work areas at these crossings.
Drill site workspace and access roads would be required at each side of the three roads, behind
houses and/or commercial buildings fronting the roads, in order to diagonally drill the road and
existing utility obstructions. This is not a favorable crossing method in highly populated areas due
to noise, site acreage requirements at both ends of the drill (to support the drill rig and support
equipment), site access requirements (for equipment set-up, drill rig service, materials and water
supply), and the duration of the construction. In addition, it has not yet been determined that HDD
is feasible, as geotechnical studies have not been performed. Without the use of HDD it is quite
possible that this route is infeasible.
Even assuming that HDD is feasible, the proposed route would likely be viewed as highly
unfavorable by numerous community stakeholders given the close proximity to subdivisions and
construction related impacts at the three main road crossings. Based on Empire’s desktop review,
the route may potentially be constructible, but there would be major concerns as to safety, noise
and timing based on workspace limitations and allowable working hours. Additionally, there
would be significant incremental environmental impacts, particularly with respect to wetlands.
National Fuel surveyed approximately half of this 20-acre site for the purpose of siting the
dehydration facility. Within the survey area of approximately 10 acres, 4 acres are wetland. Based
on publicly available NWI wetland data, (USFWS 2015), approximately 85 percent of the northern
half of this site are forested wetlands, and the remaining 15 percent are freshwater emergent
wetlands. There is not adequate acreage at the Wheatfield site to locate both the dehydration
facility and the compressor station outside of delineated wetlands. As such, siting the compressor
station within the Wheatfield Dehydration Facility site is not preferred.
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Resource Report 10 – Alternatives Northern Access 2016 Project
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10.6 REFERENCES
USFWS 2015. FWS Wetlands & Riparian Data. Available online at
http://www.fws.gov/wetlands/Data/Data-Download.html. Accessed November 3, 2015.
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http://www.fws.gov/wetlands/Data/Data-Download.html
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Resource Report 10 – Alternatives Northern Access 2016 Project
APPENDIX 10-A
FIGURE UPDATE
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Alternative Site 1
Previously Proposed Site
Alternative Site 5 (Cambria)
Alternative 6 Required Transmission Pipeline
Alternative Site 6 (Wheatfield)
Previously Proposed Required Transmission Pipeline3.05 Miles Along Existing XM-10 Line Alternative Site 2
Alternative 2 Required Transmission Pipeline2.40 Miles of Existing XM-10 Line
Alternative 3 Required Transmission Pipeline1.10 Miles Along Existing XM-10 Line Alternative Site 3
New Proposed Site "Preferred Site" Required Transmission Pipeline(EMP-03 Line)Alternative Site 4
Alternative 4 Required Transmission Pipeline0.60 Miles Along Existing XM-10 Line
Alternative 1 Required Transmission Pipeline3.90 Miles Along Existing XM-10 Line
Alternative 5 Required Transmission Pipeline11.22 Miles
New Proposed Site "Preferred Site"
E
Project Location
Livingston
New York
Pennsylvania
Erie
ErieTioga
Steuben
PotterWarren McKean
AlleganyCattaraugus
Wayne
Ontario
Chautauqua
Monroe
Crawford
Cayuga
Niagara
Yates
Bradford
Wyoming
Genesee Seneca
Orleans
ChemungSchuyler
Coordinate System: North American Datum, 1983Universal Transverse Mercator, Zone 18, North, Meters
Date:11/03/15
Figure 10.5-1. Site Alternatives Considered for PendletonCompressor StationNote:Required Transmission Lines for Alternatives 1-4 and Previously Proposed Alternative would share ROW with existing XM-10 Line
Northern Access 2016 Project
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Document Content(s)
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