Hotly

Enbridge Inc.’s hotly contested Northern Gateway pipeline proposal for an oilsands conduit from Edmonton to a new tanker terminal on the northern Pacific Coast at Kitimat, BC, hit another hurdle this week when the Yinka Dene Alliance sent a cease and desist letter, warning Enbridge against trespassing in their traditional territories as the company seeks temporary permits for drilling and tree removal for the pipeline project.

Longmont, CO, voters Tuesday approved a hotly contested ban on the use of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) within its jurisdiction, passing a ballot measure (Question 300) by a comfortable margin, according to reports.

Following precedent set by a hotly contested case that dragged on through the late 1990s and the first half of this decade, three Alberta natural gas producers were ordered Thursday to shut in 158 wells deemed to jeopardize future oilsands production.

Following precedent set by a hotly contested case that dragged on through the late 1990s and the first half of this decade, three Alberta natural gas producers were ordered last Thursday to shut in 158 wells deemed to jeopardize future oilsands production.

A pared-down energy bill, minus the hotly disputed $21.8 billion tax package and renewable electricity mandate, was overwhelmingly passed by the House Tuesday. The next stop for the measure is President Bush, who is expected to sign the legislation.

FERC on Wednesday rejected El Paso Natural Gas’ hotly disputed compliance tariff filing that was submitted in late April, agreeing with shippers that the pipeline failed to follow many of the agency’s directives that were contained in an earlier order.

FERC on Friday issued favorable final environmental reviews for the two most hotly disputed liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects that have come before the agency in the last couple of years — the proposed 4.4 Bcf Weaver’s Cove LNG import terminal near Fall River, MA, and KeySpan LNG’s proposed conversion of its existing 600,000 barrel LNG storage terminal in Providence, RI, to an import terminal. But the KeySpan LNG project fell short of the current federal safety standards, the agency said.

FERC on Friday issued favorable final environmental reviews for the two most hotly disputed liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects that have come before the agency in the last couple of years — the proposed 4.4 Bcf Weaver’s Cove LNG import terminal near Fall River, MA, and KeySpan LNG’s proposed conversion of its existing 600,000 barrel LNG storage terminal in Providence, RI, to an import terminal. But the KeySpan LNG project fell short of the current federal safety standards, the agency said.

In the latest chapter of a hotly contested environmental issue, the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) unveiled the final version of an interim national strategy outlining the steps it will take to protect and restore the sage grouse habitat on America’s public lands.