Construction of the Millennium Pipeline that will cross
Lake Erie faces a potential delay following New York State's
denial of a key part of the project.
The 417-mile pipeline would carry natural gas from Patrick
Point in Canada across Lake Erie to Ripley, N.Y., and then
on to the New York City area. However, only about half the
gas from Canada would travel that far. Communities along
the route would use the remainder.
New York State recently ruled the project's plans were not
consistent with the state and federal government's Coastal
Zone Management plan and regulations, denying the project
the necessary Coastal Zone Management approval.
Construction of the Lake Erie section of the pipeline was
scheduled to begin in spring 2003.
Whether that schedule can now be met is unclear, said Richard
Hall, facility project manager of the Millennium Pipeline.
The problem New York had with the project was not the pipeline's
Lake Erie landing near Ripley, but the plans for its Hudson
River crossing.
Construction cannot begin until Coastal Zone Management
approval is obtained, he said.
"We filed an appeal on Aug. 12," Hall said. "We expect the
appeal process to run at least through the end of the year."
Much longer and it would almost certainly set back the start
of construction.
Even now, however, the company is hesitant to begin ordering
materials and awarding the contracts necessary for work
to begin in the spring without some idea of when the issue
will be resolved, he said.
Construction of the $700 million pipeline is expected to
be a boon to the Port of Erie, which remains the preferred
staging area for the Lake Erie portion of the project, Hall
said.
At the staging port, the pipeline sections will be assembled,
coated with specialized concrete and loaded onto ships transporting
the materials to the barges laying the pipeline.
Local officials previously estimated 200 to 250 jobs would
be created at the port during construction of the pipeline.
The project, which was opposed by several environmental
groups including Great Lakes United, cleared its biggest
hurdle in December when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
gave its approval.
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