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Lentis/Atlantic Coast Pipeline

< Lentis

Introduction

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The Atlantic Coast Pipeline was a natural gas pipeline proposed by Atlantic in 2014[1]. The line would deliver natural gas to customers in West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. Atlantic faced opposition from activist groups because of environmental and health concerns. The project was cancelled in 2020 due to financial and legal risk[2].

The Atlantic Coast Pipeline case alludes to the power dynamic between corporate America and the constituents of corporate America.

Natural Gas

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The Atlantic Coast Pipeline was a proposed natural gas pipeline. Hydrocarbons in natural gas include methane, ethane, propane, and butane[3]. The thermal energy from natural gas combustion is used to power electricity generators[4]. Residents and businesses can use the natural gas from the Atlantic Coast Pipeline to heat buildings and homes, power appliances, and cook food[4]. Atlantic seeks to increase the accessibility of natural gas[5].

Pipeline Proposal

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The Atlantic Coast Pipeline LLC

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Duke Energy, Dominion Energy, Piedmont Gas, and Southern Company Gas formed the Atlantic Coast Pipeline LLC (Atlantic) to handle the Atlantic Coast Pipeline[5].

This proposal originated from Duke Energy and Piedmont Gas, with Dominion Energy brought in later to build the pipeline[6]. Duke energy is a Fortune 150 company dedicated to modernizing the energy grid, promoting clean energy, and increasing natural gas use[7]. Dominion Energy produces, transmits, stores and distributes electricity and natural gas[8]. The pipeline would serve both their interests by expanding their servicing capabilities. It is considered the Dominion-Duke Energy joint venture since Dominion and Duke Energy hold the majority of shares in the project[6].

The Proposal

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Atlantic cited growing energy demands as the motivation for the pipeline[5]. The pipeline was to run 600 miles starting in Harrison County, WV and ending in Robeson County, NC[5]. The lateral pipeline was to branch off in southern Virginia and end in Chesapeake, VA[5]. The pipeline was projected to throughput 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas daily[5].

Land surveying would begin in May 2014[5]. Construction would begin in 2017 and end in 2019[5]. Atlantic planned for full operation in late 2019[5].

Pipeline Benefits

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Financial

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Atlantic states in their proposal that constructing the 600 mile pipeline creates 17,240 jobs and 2.7 billion dollars of financial activity[5]. Many of the jobs created are short lived because labor requirements decrease once the pipeline is built. Construction expenses would create 4.2 million dollars per year of tax revenue for local governments[5]. Atlantic pays 30 million annually in property taxes everywhere the pipe passes[5].

Electricity

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Natural gas prices may stabilize from the pipeline[5]. Atlantic claims VA and NC residents could save 377 million dollars a year on electric bills[5]. Atlantic's estimates for electricity savings do not account for Jevon's Paradox which implies that consumption will increase with the efficiency of the system. Cheaper electricity incentivizes greater consumption.

Pipeline Detriments

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Living near a pipeline is dangerous. Properties near the pipeline can lose value due to the risk of gas leaks and explosions. Landowners may lose their property in acquisitions for building rights. In the US from 2010 to 2019, there were 6,298 pipeline incidents, 140 fatalities, and 5.3 billion dollars in damages[9]. In the US from 2010 to 2019, there were 922 fires and 329 explosions caused by fossil fuel lines[9]. The Atlantic Coast Pipeline endangers the local ecosystems it passes.

Pipeline Support

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Government Involvement

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The pipeline's frequent legal issues and its construction across several states led to government involvement in its development. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) monitors environmental impact in determining authorization of pipelines[10]. The Trump Administration declared the pipeline to be one of its top infrastructure deals because of potential economic impact and the creation of new jobs, and signed executive orders to expedite construction[11]. The Virginia State Congress sent a bipartisan letter of support to the FERC advocating for pipeline approval[12].

Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA)

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The CEA is a lobbying organization founded by oil and gas industry insiders, positioned as a pro-consumer group[13]. The CEA sent an open letter to the FERC in support of the pipeline, emphasizing its importance in bringing energy justice to the non-drilling state of North Carolina[14]. The CEA also created two pipeline-related reports, claiming that burning natural gas saves money, and that the development of the pipeline would be good for the environment[14].

Pipeline Opposition

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The Waterkeeper Alliance

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The Waterkeeper Alliance is a trade association focused on protecting waterways across the country[15]. They opposed the environmental hazards of the pipeline, such as deforestation increasing erosion and the risk of broken pipes leaking contaminants into the soil. There are several individual waterkeepers of note within this organization, who educated and mobilized citizens, developed pipeline and construction monitoring programs, organized grassroots opposition, filed lawsuits against the FERC, and more[16].

Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley

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The Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley includes the Augusta County Alliance and the Shenandoah Valley Network[17]. They opposed the damage and devaluation of historical, residential, and conservation sites, as well as the safety hazards introduced[17]. They distributed anti-pipeline fact sheets, citing damages and risks proven by existing pipelines[17].

Union Hill, Virginia

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The citizens of Union Hill lived in the path of the pipeline, and they opposed the risk of property damage and air pollution to their historically black town built upon reclaimed plantation land from the Civil War era[18]. They argued against the pipeline in the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond and won the case to vacate the pipeline's construction permits with the court writing "Environmental Justice is not merely a box to be checked" [18]. In January 2020, they were recognized as an environmental justice community[18].

Pipeline Outcome

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United States Forest Service v. Cowpasture River Preservation Association

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Cowspasture River Preservation Association filed a petition with the Forest Service to review the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals' decision for the special use permit issued by the agency [19]. The 4th Circuit Court determined the Forest Service did not have jurisdiction to grant the right-of-way according to the Mineral Leasing Act because the Appalachian Trail is a part of the National Park System [19]. The Supreme Court case overruled that decision and determined the Forest Service did have the right to grant building permissions [19].

Cessation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline

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North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia united to protest the Atlantic Coast Pipeline construction. Even though Atlantic won the Supreme court hearing, “it was not enough to turn the tide on their flailing project” [20]. Primarily due to public disapproval and legal uncertainty, Atlantic announced the cessation of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline on July 5, 2020[2].

Pipeline Future

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On December 18, 2020, Atlantic proposed a Disposition and Restoration Plan to the FERC, giving detailed plans for closing the project over the next 24 months. Starting with the statement, "Atlantic will comply with all the terms and conditions set forth in its existing and planned state and federal permits" [21]. Atlantic is seeking approval from FERC to retire any pipes currently installed underground and approval to de-commit facilities across construction sites, to begin and finish the restoration in areas of the right-of-way that might have been disturbed. Atlantic confirmed that customers will not be held responsible for costs associated with the clean, "No, the companies have no plans to seek cost recovery from customers for this project" as stated in their FAQ [21]. Atlantic will continue efforts to make natural gas more accessible across the country since they believe it plays a considerable role in the path to net-zero emissions [21].

Energy Alternatives

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Compared to other fossil fuels Atlantic's proposed natural gas pipeline would have reduced energy emissions[22] so its cancellation leaves a need for alternative solutions to combat climate change. Although the solution isn't known to man, it will take a combination of high-tech and low-tech solutions. Solar, wind, nuclear, and hydroelectric power are the most promising renewable energy sources sought after today. Solar is an abundant and inexhaustible energy, and comes in various forms: solar heat, solar photovoltaics, solar thermal electricity, and solar fuels[23]. Wind power is the most cost effective energy source [24]. Nuclear energy has a low cost of operation and high energy density [25]. Hydroelectric is highly reliable and efficient, provides flood control, and clean drinking water[26].

Conclusion

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Natural gas serves many valuable purposes as the most eco-friendly fossil fuel[22]. Expanding its usage and providing more natural gas to power the grid through the Atlantic Coast Pipeline seems good on paper. However, the environmental and human cost to building the pipeline outweigh the energy benefits provided by natural gas. Forgetting to take into account the incidental effects of building the pipeline motivated participants to protest, and led to the litigation and financial pressure that ultimately doomed the pipeline. Further research into the topic includes minimizing the environmental issues with constructing the pipeline and investigating the barriers preventing the pursuit of alternative energy sources by giant corporations.

References

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  1. ↑ Shelor, Jeremiah (May 27, 2014). "Dominion officials brief Lewis Commissioners on plans for pipeline expansion". The Exponent Telegram. Retrieved December 8, 2021. https://www.wvnews.com/theet/news/local/dominion-officials-brief-lewis-commissioners-on-plans-for-pipeline-expansion/article_cda5317a-e5e3-11e3-9eb7-001a4bcf887a.html
  2. ↑ a b "Dominion Energy and Duke Energy cancel the Atlantic Coast Pipeline". duke-energy.com. Duke Energy. July 5, 2020. https://news.duke-energy.com/releases/dominion-energy-and-duke-energy-cancel-the-atlantic-coast-pipeline
  3. ↑ Croft. (2020, August 21). Natural gas composition. Croft Productions Systems. Retrieved December 9, 2021, from https://www.croftsystems.net/oil-gas-blog/natural-gas-composition/.
  4. ↑ a b Met. (2020, April 29). Uses of natural gas: What is natural gas used for? Met Group. Retrieved December 9, 2021, from https://group.met.com/energy-insight/uses-of-natural-gas/5.
  5. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Atlantic. (2016, November). Atlantic Coast Pipeline Project Overview. Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Retrieved December 8, 2021, from https://atlanticcoastpipeline.com/resources/docs/resources/acp-pf1-project-overview.pdf.
  6. ↑ a b Duke Energy. (2014, September 2). Duke Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas Select Dominion to build 550-mile 'atlantic coast pipeline' to transport natural gas from West Virginia to Eastern North Carolina. Duke Energy | News Center. Retrieved from https://news.duke-energy.com/releases/duke-energy-piedmont-natural-gas-select-dominion-to-build-550-mile-atlantic-coast-pipeline-to-transport-natural-gas-from-west-virginia-to-eastern-north-carolina.
  7. ↑ About Duke Energy. Duke Energy. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.duke-energy.com/Our-Company/About-Us.
  8. ↑ Dominion Energy. (n.d.). Our company: Dominion energy. Our Company | Dominion Energy. Retrieved from https://www.dominionenergy.com/our-company.
  9. ↑ a b Kelso, M. (2021, April 15). Pipelines continue to catch fire and explode. FracTracker Alliance. Retrieved December 9, 2021, from https://www.fractracker.org/2020/02/pipelines-continue-to-catch-fire-and-explode/.
  10. ↑ Final environmental impact statement - atlantic coast pipeline and supply header project. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. (2020, June 16). Retrieved from https://www.ferc.gov/final-environmental-impact-statement-atlantic-coast-pipeline-and-supply-header-project.
  11. ↑ Way, D. (2019, April 11). Trump executive orders could speed Atlantic Coast Pipeline, but legal challenges loom. Carolina Journal. Retrieved from https://www.carolinajournal.com/news-article/trump-executive-orders-could-speed-atlantic-coast-pipeline-but-legal-challenges-loom/.
  12. ↑ Political leaders urge approval of the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. https://www.wdtv.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.wdtv.com/content/news/Political-leaders-urge-approval-of-the-Atlantic-Coast-Pipeline-418265943.html.
  13. ↑ Who is consumer energy alliance? Consumer Energy Alliance. (2021, November 19). Retrieved from https://consumerenergyalliance.org/about/.
  14. ↑ a b Sturgis, S. (2019, December 6). Big Energy Front Group launches push for troubled Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Facing South. Retrieved from https://www.facingsouth.org/2019/12/big-energy-front-group-launches-push-troubled-atlantic-coast-pipeline.
  15. ↑ Who we are. Waterkeeper Alliance. (2021, December 2). Retrieved from https://waterkeeper.org/who-we-are/.
  16. ↑ Atlantic Coast Pipeline cancelled after years of activism, waterkeepers react to the win. Waterkeeper. (2020, July 16). Retrieved from https://waterkeeper.org/news/atlantic-coast-pipeline-cancelled-after-years-of-activism-waterkeepers-react-to-the-win/.
  17. ↑ a b c Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley. (2021, March 25). Retrieved from https://shenandoahalliance.org/project/atlantic-coast-pipeline/.
  18. ↑ a b c Green, M. (2021, September 16). A historically black town stood in the way of a pipeline – so developers claimed it was mostly white. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/sep/16/virginia-atlantic-coast-pipeline-union-hill-historically-black-town.
  19. ↑ a b c US Forest Service v. COWPASTURE RIVER PRES. ASSN, 140 S. Ct. 1837, 590 U.S., 207 L. Ed. 2d 186 (2020).
  20. ↑ Appalachian Voices. (n.d.). Cancelled: Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Appalachian Voices. Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://appvoices.org/fracking/atlantic-coast-pipeline/.
  21. ↑ a b c “Dominion Energy and Duke Energy Cancel the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.” FAQs L ACP, Atlantic Coast Pipeline LLC, https://atlanticcoastpipeline.com/about/default.aspx.
  22. ↑ a b U.S. Energy Information Administration - EIA - independent statistics and analysis. U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/natural-gas/natural-gas-and-the-environment.php#:~:text=Natural%20gas%20is%20a%20relatively,an%20equal%20amount%20of%20energy.
  23. ↑ "Solar Energy Perspectives: Executive Summary" (PDF). International Energy Agency. 2011.
  24. ↑ Advantages and challenges of wind energy. Energy.gov. (n.d.). Retrieved December 9, 2021, from https://www.energy.gov/eere/wind/advantages-and-challenges-wind-energy.
  25. ↑ The Pros & Cons of Nuclear Energy: Is It Safe? Spring Power & Gas. (2019, April 30). Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://springpowerandgas.us/the-pros-cons-of-nuclear-energy-is-it-safe/.
  26. ↑ Hydroelectric Power: How It Works completed. Hydroelectric Power: How it Works | U.S. Geological Survey. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2021, from https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/hydroelectric-power-how-it-works#overview.


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