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The 442-mile Millennium Pipeline project, which would bring 714 MMcf/d of gas to New York City from connections with the Canadian pipeline grid under Lake Erie, made progress last week when its highly contested route alternative in Westchester County, NY, gained the support of the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC), local citizens, elected officials and the pipeline’s planners. However, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) still must review all comments on the pipeline’s supplemental draft environmental impact statement (EIS) before issuing a final EIS.

The 442-mile Millennium Pipeline project, which would bring 714 MMcf/d of gas to New York City from connections with the Canadian pipeline grid under Lake Erie, made progress yesterday when its highly contested route alternative in Westchester County, NY, gained the support of the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC), local citizens, elected officials and the pipeline’s planners. However, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) still must review all comments on the pipeline’s supplemental draft environmental impact statement (EIS) before issuing a final EIS.

Iroquois Gas Transmission System LP’s Eastchester ExtensionProject became fully subscribed last week and is slated to bring230 MDth/d to power electric generation to serve residential,industrial and commercial customers in New York City – now servedby Consolidated Edison Energy Inc., KeySpan Ravenswood Inc., OrionPower Holdings Inc., Mirant New York Management Inc. and VirginiaPower Energy Marketing Inc.

Duke Energy North America (DENA) is making good on its promiseto bring a significant amount of new electricity generation onlineby summer 2002. Yesterday the company broke ground on itspreviously announced Arlington Valley Energy Facility located inMaricopa County, AZ (see Daily GPI, Feb. 8).

Iroquois Gas Transmission System LP’s Eastchester ExtensionProject has been fully subscribed and will bring 230 MDth/d topower electric generation to serve residential, industrial andcommercial customers in New York City served by Consolidated EdisonEnergy Inc., KeySpan Ravenswood Inc., Orion Power Holdings Inc.,Mirant New York Management Inc. and Virginia Power Energy MarketingInc.

Western state governors included support for an Alaska naturalgas pipeline to bring in new supplies, along with expansion of gaspipelines and electric transmission lines in the lower 48 statesamong their long-term recommendations to deal with the energycrisis in the West.

From FERC hearing rooms to California courtrooms the lawyers andregulators are huddling to bring some order to the chaotic westernenergy markets and address the muddled future of California’s onceomnipotent-appearing private sector utilities. Energy industry,political and regulatory heavyweights are mixing it up, includingthe closed-door FERC-called session in Washington, DC.

If any of the growing number of producers delay coal bed methanegas drilling programs in the Powder River Basin, it won’t bebecause production has dried up. Most likely, it will be delayedwhile the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality wrangles withrequested water pollution permits required for the projects, anddebates between business and environmentalists over jobs and cleanwater.

A crash-and-burn Nymex session in both the natural gas and crudeoil pits depressed both September and October cash prices Thursday.Only western swing quotes managed to avoid declines that weregenerally around a dime or greater.