Infrastructure

In California earlier this month, the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) board voted to petition the federal government to adopt tougher emission standards for large trucks to help the region meet its clean air goals. Heavy-duty trucks are the largest source of smog-forming emissions in the four-county air district.

FERC staff on Friday released a favorable environmental assessment (EA) of Tennessee Gas Pipeline LLC’s (TGP) proposed Broad Run Expansion project, which would move Marcellus Shale natural gas from West Virginia to delivery points along the Gulf Coast.

FERC last Friday rejected Canadian-based Veresen Inc.’s proposed Jordan Cove liquefied natural gas (LNG) export project in Oregon, citing problems with its Pacific Connector pipeline link to tap western Canada and U.S. Rockies supplies, along with the project’s lack of contracts from buyers.

Calgary, Alberta-based TransCanada Corp. said Thursday it was in discussions with a third party on a “potential transaction” but no agreement has been reached, reacting to reports in financial news media that it is eyeing a deal with Houston-based Columbia Pipeline Group Inc. Some reports on Thursday speculated that talks had hit a standstill.

Williams Partners LP said Friday it expects to begin construction soon on its Hillabee Expansion Project, which would add capacity to the Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line (Transco) system in three phases in order to serve Florida demand via the Sabal Trail Transmission project.

FERC has agreed with the decision of an administrative law judge (ALJ) and rejected a motion filed by Liberty Utilities (Pipeline and Transmission) Corp. and Algonquin Tinker Generation Co. that would have stalled a proposed rate increase by Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline LLC’s (M&NE).

Stymied, for now, in attempts to further regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at the utility level, the Obama administration Thursday announced plans — in collaboration with Canada — to target methane emissions from existing oil and natural gas production/transmission facilities.

Authorities in the state of Washington recently released a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for a new $1.8 billion methanol production facility by Northwest Innovation Works (NWIW) at Port of Kalama along the Columbia River. Public comments will be taken on the DEIS through April 18.

In a win for the pipeline industry, the Supreme Court of Virginia has declined to hear an appeal challenging the constitutionality of a controversial 2004 state law allowing natural gas companies to survey on private property without the landowner’s permission.