South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley last week asked the state’s top prosecutor to prepare a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Energy for failing to complete a plant that was designed to turn weapons-grade plutonium into fuel for nuclear generating stations.
Haley threatened last year to sue the department and hold it to a $1 million daily fine if it didn’t complete work at the Savannah River Site’s mixed-oxide project according to its contractual obligations. The MOX project is years behind schedule and billions over budget.
“The federal government has, once again, failed to keep its promise to the people of our state,” she wrote to Attorney General Alan Wilson. “South Carolina will not sit idly by while DOE continues — in violation of federal law — to ignore its commitment to the people of South Carolina.”
More: The Associated Press
FERC Denies Request to Stay Algonquin Expansion Project
FERC has rejected requests to reopen hearings on a plan to expand Spectra Energy’s Algonquin Pipeline project, saying its review of the environmental impacts was adequate. The decision means Spectra can go ahead with its plans to expand the line, which starts in New York state, crosses Connecticut and terminates in Massachusetts.
Several organizations had asked for either a stay or a rehearing, including the Allegheny Defense Project, Riverkeeper, individual landowners and several towns in Massachusetts and New York.
The expansion project will add 37.4 miles of pipeline and related compression facilities in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. A majority of the project, however, involves replacing existing pipeline in order to increase capacity to 342,000 dekatherms of gas a day.
More: Peekskill-Cortlandt Patch
Senate Dems Calling for EPA to Regulate Methane Leaks
Twenty-one U.S Senate Democrats are calling for EPA to step in and regulate methane leaks from oil and natural gas wells. The group is led by Sens. Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island.
They charge that EPA’s most recent rules don’t go far enough to control methane, as the new regulations do not apply to existing wells drilled before the rules’ passage.
“Moving forward with this rulemaking would sustain our international leadership on this issue and put forward a precedent that other countries can follow, much as they have done with our current methane commitment,” the group’s letter states.
More: The Hill
NGSA Weighs in with Complaint on FERC NOPR
The National Gas Supply Association said it has “numerous concerns” about a proposed FERC rule requiring RTOs to disclose more information about parties with which they do business. FERC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking calling for more information to prevent market manipulation.
The commission held a technical conference on the NOPR in December. In post-conference comments filed with FERC, the association outlined some of its concerns, even though the rule is aimed at RTOs and ISOs, rather than gas suppliers.
Although the proposed compliance obligations would not apply directly to the production, sale or transportation of natural gas, the association said the vague language in the proposed rule could make NGSA members “connected entities” for providing such services to ISO/RTO market participants, the association said. The group is concerned that suppliers might be forced to disclose commercially sensitive information.
More: Natural Gas Intelligence
DOE, NM Regulators Reach Settlement on Nuke Waste Incidents
The Department of Energy, the New Mexico Environment Department and a number of contractors have reached a settlement regarding incidents at a nuclear waste site and the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The settlement provides for $74 million for environmental projects at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, as well as for Los Alamos and surrounding communities.
The projects include the construction of an offsite emergency operations center, replacement of drinking water lines at Los Alamos and a fund to pay for monitoring in the future. The settlement brings an end to struggles between federal authorities, state officials and contractors related to a series of nuclear waste mishandling and spillage events.
More: Department of Energy
DOE Announces $2.85 Million in Funding for Fed Renewables
The Department of Energy announced it will spend $2.85 million to expand solar and biomass generation at federal facilities. The money will go toward a variety of solar projects, including at some overseas diplomatic posts, as well as a 10-MW biomass generator at a Marine installation in Georgia.
“As the nation’s largest single user of energy, the federal government is leading by example and these projects will reduce carbon emissions, while strengthening America’s economic, energy and environmental security,” according to the department. “Currently, federal agencies are working toward a goal of achieving 30% of their electricity from renewable energy sources by 2025.”
More: Department of Energy