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(1/9) Today in MA environmental news, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (better known as FERC) discussed the Weymouth Natural Gas Compressor Station.
Here's a little thread about what happened and what it might mean because "yay" for context
Here's a little thread about what happened and what it might mean because "yay" for context
(2/9)The Weymouth compressor is a controversial piece of infrastructure that will allow fracked gas from PA to get to northern New England and Canada. Residents, elected officials and enviros have opposed it for years
Here's some background on why: https://www.wbur.org/earthwhile/2020/10/13/weymouth-compressor-explainer-climate-change-enbridge-natural-gas-fracking
Here's some background on why: https://www.wbur.org/earthwhile/2020/10/13/weymouth-compressor-explainer-climate-change-enbridge-natural-gas-fracking
(3/9) What you need to know is that in Sept 2020, FERC gave the company building the compressor, Enbridge, permission to begin pumping gas.
In response, opponents like @SenMarkey, @ewarren & @RepLynch asked the commission to reconsider -- ie, to "rehear" the matter
In response, opponents like @SenMarkey, @ewarren & @RepLynch asked the commission to reconsider -- ie, to "rehear" the matter
(4/9) Though the compressor was supposed to start up on Oct 1, two emergency shutdowns in Sept have put those plans on pause. Enbridge announced last year that it would wait for the results of a "root cause analysis," which has yet to come...
(5/9) Meanwhile, the challenge to FERC's Sept order is still making its way through the bureaucratic process.
The commission was slated to discuss whether to "rehear" the matter as opponents wanted during its Dec meeting, but two days before, commissioner Neil Chatterjee...
The commission was slated to discuss whether to "rehear" the matter as opponents wanted during its Dec meeting, but two days before, commissioner Neil Chatterjee...
(6/9) ...proposed postponing the discussion until Jan so that two recently appointed commission members would have time to get up to speed.
The FERC chairman, James Danly, agreed and the commission took up the issue today.
The FERC chairman, James Danly, agreed and the commission took up the issue today.
(7/9) During the meeting, three of the five commissioners -- Chatterjee, Richard Glick, and Allison Clements -- said that the project brings up legitimate environmental justice, health, and safety concerns, and that they would vote "no" to deny a rehearing
(8/9) So
Many Negatives ... I know ...
But what's important is they are signaling that they think the project is worth reexamining.
Many Negatives ... I know ...But what's important is they are signaling that they think the project is worth reexamining.
(9/9) In sum, it's not clear what will happen next because FERC didn't actually vote to rehear the topic. But anti-compressor activists have their fingers crossed -- as Alice Arena of @FRRACS_MA told me today, "We're sitting here like, 'your move, guys.'"
