Buccaneer Pipeline, one of two long lines proposed to cross theGulf of Mexico and deliver gas to the west coast of the FloridaPeninsula, has finally received permission to go ashore in PascoCounty, north of Tampa-St. Petersburg, after facing substantiallandowner opposition.

“Pasco County is the project’s landfall site, so the county’sapproval to make landfall and cross the entire county, includingoffshore waters, is a very significant milestone,” said FrankFerazzi, Buccaneer senior vice president. The 674-mile, 1.2 Bcf/dline, a combined venture of Williams and Duke Energy, needs only afinal okay from FERC, which it expects early next year.

The rival Gulfstream Pipeline, sponsored by Coastal Corp., alreadyhas an agreement with the Manatee County Port Authority for apermanent right-of-way easement south of Tampa-St. Pete. Gulfstreaminitially will pay $1.48 million for the landfall to Florida, whichwill include the use of port services and acreage. (see Daily GPI, July 21)

Both pipelines have received preliminary approvals and preliminaryenvironmental impact statements from the Federal Energy RegulatoryCommission, which recommended that some onshore segments of the linesbe combined to minimize the impact. (see Daily GPI, Sept. 1)

Sponsors of both projects say they believe only one new linewill be built to challenge the monopoly of Florida GasTransmission. However, Buccaneer and Gulfstream proponents eachmaintain their line will be the chosen one.

In its environmental review FERC said it considered recommendingonly one pipeline across the Gulf, but didn’t, partly because theyhaving a back-up underwater line.

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