Rep. Miller Calls on FERC to Address Residents’ Concerns over Proposed ET Rover Pipeline before Approving Plan
Harrison Township, MI – Today, U.S. Representative Candice Miller (MI-10) sent a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) asking that they address the concerns raised by residents who would be impacted by the construction of the Energy Transfer (ET) Rover Pipeline in Michigan’s 10th Congressional District.
“The residents of Michigan’s Thumb have long been great stewards of their rich agricultural environment,” Miller said. “I share their concerns over the environmental impact of the proposed pipeline, along with concerns over the potential impact it will have on property values, aesthetics and public safety. These are valid concerns that must be thoroughly addressed in a transparent fashion before FERC considers approving the pipeline.”
Below is the text of the letter.
October 30, 2014
Kimberly D. Bose
Secretary
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First Street, NE
Washington, D.C. 20426
Re: ET Rover Pipeline - Docket No. PF14-14-000
Dear Ms. Bose:
I represent the 10th Congressional District in Michigan, which encompasses all of Huron, Lapeer, Sanilac and St. Clair counties and parts of Macomb County. It is a geographically diverse district that contains both thriving suburban developments and rich rural, agricultural lands. The entire district is surrounded by the Great Lakes. As a result of nature’s significant footprint in this district, its residents are good stewards of the bountiful natural environment. The proposed route for the Energy Transfer (ET) Rover Pipeline would cut through the 10th District – taking over land in Lapeer, St. Clair and Macomb Counties. I submit this public comment to echo many of the concerns raised by the constituents of the 10th District and to urge the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to carefully assess all the public comments – particularly those submitted by the landowners that may be impacted – before making a final determination.
Several months ago, I was informed that ET had plans to construct a pipeline that would transport natural gas from processing facilities from areas rich in Marcellus and Utica shale to market areas in the United States and Canada. This proposed new pipeline route would start in Pennsylvania and travel through the Midwest until it passed through Michigan and ended in Canada. While I agree with the policy that new forms of domestic energy are needed, I have serious concerns about the impact of this project to the community.
I have heard from hundreds of constituents who have valid concerns about the impact on the environment, the impact on their property value, and the impact on their safety. I, too, echo these concerns. Before this pipeline is approved, there are many outstanding questions that need to be answered: Will this pipeline be built in environmentally sensitive areas, such as productive farm land and wetlands of the 10th District? Will this pipeline be constructed on existing easements, that it will minimize the adverse impact to landowners who will be impacted by the construction and the eventual loss of use of their property? And, perhaps most importantly, what steps is ET taking to ensure the safety of the residents who live in the vicinity where this pipeline will ultimately be placed? Until these questions are thoroughly explored and answered, FERC should not approve the application for this new pipeline.
While ET has conducted several open house informational sessions to explain the project to municipalities and residents, there are still many who do not feel that they have timely and accurate information. Transparency at every level of the government is critical for a well-functioning democracy where everyone feels his voice is heard. With this uncertainty, it is even more important that FERC not approve the project until every question has been answered sufficiently.
I believe the health and safety of our neighborhoods and citizens should be paramount to any potential gain from this pipeline project. I strongly encourage FERC to thoroughly review this application and the comments from the public before making this important decision.
Sincerely,
Candice S. Miller
Member of Congress
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