Cortlandt Town Officials File Pipeline Resolution with FERC

The natural-gas pipeline expansion project now before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is Spectra Energy’s project to vastly increase the amount of natural gas piped to New England through its Algonquin pipeline.

The larger pipeline would follow the current pipeline’s right of way through Rockland County, cross the Hudson River and enter Westchester County near the Indian Point nuclear facility and then continue through Yorktown through Putnam County into New England. It includes a new crossing of the Hudson and new or expanded compressor stations in Stony Point and Southeast.

The Cortlandt Town Board passed a resolution on the project and filed it with FERC earlier this month.

Topping their statement of concerns: the fact that the expanded pipeline would run so close to the Indian Point nuclear power plant; that the excavation and de-vegetation of land on the company’s right-of-way will hurt the environment and the neighborhoods in Cortlandt, and that the pipeline would run right by the Buchanan electrical sub-station that furnishes so much of New York City’s electricity.

Top on their list of asks are that FERC provide additional time and dates for public information and public comment on this project; and consider alternate routes and alternate construction methodologies in order to increase safety and limit the environmental impacts.

They told FERC the Town Board opposes any construction of maintenance facilities within the Town that would be located on environmentally sensitive land near schools, parks, houses of worship, business or residential districts, nuclear facility, transformer stations or power lines.

Cortlandt’s filing comes as governments and officials across New England are filing letters and resolutions in favor of the pipeline expansion.

To follow all the filings before the FERC, go to www.FERC.gov and enter docket number CP14-96-000.