PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION IS SOLICITING COMMENTS AND CONCERNS FROM WINDSOR,NY RESIDENTS ON WILLIAMS REQUEST TO ALTER CERTIFICATE

 

                                                                   STATE OF NEW YORK
                                                           PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION


CASE 10-T-0350 -
Application of DMP New York, Inc. and Laser Northeast Gathering Company, LLC for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need Pursuant to Article VII to Construct a 16 Inch Natural Gas Gathering Pipeline to the Existing Millennium Pipeline in the Town of Windsor, Broome County Approximately 51,857 feet of Steel Coated Pipeline and a Gas Compressor Station. – Joint Application to Amend a Certificate to Add Two Compressor Units.


                                                         NOTICE SOLICITING COMMENTS
                                                                 (Issued July 31, 2013)


On February 22, 2011, the Public Service Commission granted a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need (Certificate) to DMP New York, Inc. (DMP) and Laser Northeast Gathering Company, LLC (Laser) authorizing, subject to conditions, the construction and operation of a fuel gas transmission line (including the Dunbar Compressor Station) in the Town of Windsor (Town), Broome County. In a joint application filed on July 25, 2012 (and supplemented on December 17, 2012 and July 26, 2013), pursuant to §121(3) of the Public Service Law (PSL), Williams Field Services Company LLC (Williams), DMP and Laser (collectively Petitioners) request that the Certificate be amended in two respects. First, an amendment is sought to authorize the addition of two compressor units and related equipment in the Dunbar Station to allow increased deliverability of gas into the interstate pipeline of Millennium Pipeline Company, LLC. Petitioners state that the expanded compressor Station will comply with the applicable Certificate conditions. Second, an amendment is sought to change Certificate Condition 1. (z) or refuse to apply the Town Code noise limits at the Dunbar Station property lines, if the


CASE 10-T-0350

Commission finds that Certificate Conditions 1. (z) and 1 (s2) have not been, or will not be, fully satisfied. Condition 1. (z) provides that "prior to the commencement of construction, Applicants shall submit to the Secretary an acoustical study performed in accordance with the guidelines provided in the Town of Windsor Code to establish the ambient noise level at the edge of their property" and Condition 1. (s2) provides that "within 45 days of the commencement of operations of the compressor station, or such later date as may be specified by the Secretary, Applicants shall submit to the Secretary a report from an independent acoustical consultant, in sufficient detail for DPS Staff to determine whether Applicants comply with the Town of Windsor Noise Control Code and a maximum noise limit of 40dBA under no wind conditions at any existing residences; if the study does not show compliance with the Town of Windsor Noise Code and the terms of this order, Applicants shall have 45 days in which to bring sound levels into compliance . . ." Petitioners served the joint application on the parties to this proceeding.


                                                               PLEASE TAKE NOTICE
that any party wishing to comment on the joint application may submit comments to the Secretary by e-filing through the Department’s Document and Matter Management System (DMM),1 or by e-mail to the Secretary at secretary@dps.ny.gov, on or before August 20, 2013. Those unable to file electronically may mail or deliver their comments to the Hon. Jeffrey C. Cohen, Acting Secretary, New York State Public Service Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223-1350. All comments submitted to the Secretary will



1 How to Register with DMM: http://www.dps.ny.gov/e-file/registration.html.



CASE 10-T-0350

be posted on the Commission’s Web site and become part of the official case record.

                                                        (SIGNED) JEFFREY C. COHEN
                                                                        Acting Secretary

Note: send Emails to  JEFFREY C. COHEN
                       Email: secretary@dps.ny.gov
                       and please refer to- CASE 10-T-0350 in your Email




 

Guest Viewpoint for the Press & Sun Bulletin

Guest Viewpoint for the Press & Sun Bulletin

July 23, 2013, marked one year since West Windsor residents heard an explosive noise coming from the nearby Williams Partners-owned natural gas compressor station on Patterson Road, followed by a fireball that plumed well into the air above the tree line. Shaken by the experience, many of these homeowners went to the next Town of Windsor board meeting... to find out just what had happened at the compressor station on the late afternoon of July 23, 2012, when, during a severe thunder storm, lightning struck an exhaust pipe during a venting of natural gas. Not at all satisfied with the explanations given by Williams representatives, some of these concerned people began to meet on their own to pursue answers to this frightening incident and take a more serious look at a number of important issues facing a rural residential community now dealing with this heavy industry in our midst.
This is why our group—Concerned Residents of Windsor—was formed last summer. In November of 2012, after months of researching the design and construction of the compressor station and making enquiries of the NYS Public Service Commission and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, we drafted a five-page letter to many town, county and state officials, including the above agencies, addressing issues of air quality concerns, noise compliance violations, and problems with drainage. The compressor station was built into the side of a hill on 40 acres of cleared land with over forty homes within a ½–mile radius. Many important questions were asked in the letter—many remain unanswered.
Concerns about the amount of noise generated by a natural gas compressor station motivated the Town of Windsor to enact a Noise Control Ordinance in June of 2010—a law that received the full acceptance of the Public Service Commission. From the beginning and to date, the compressor station in West Windsor has never been totally in compliance with the local law. Nor have any fines ever been issued for non-compliance. Now Williams is petitioning the PSC for relief, claiming “the Town Code is unreasonably restrictive” and asking the PSC to either amend the town law to raise the established ambient sound level of 35 dBA to a level that would bring them into compliance or to “refuse to apply the Town Code noise limits at the Dunbar Station”.
For the people living nearby, it just means more noise and, with the prospect of a second natural gas transmission line and additional compressor capacity, it will probably get louder. And this doesn’t even take into account the numerous and noisy gas releases that have occurred in the past year, some in the middle of the night.
Concerned Residents of Windsor appreciates Town Supervisor Carolyn Price’s efforts in forming a working group that has brought together representatives from our group, town officials, local fire chiefs, and representatives from Williams. The meetings have addressed some of the serious issues we face, and some positive ideas have emerged. For example, the West Windsor Fire Chief recommended an audible alarm system at the compressor station to warn surrounding residents of an emergency situation. We wholly support this recommendation and hope that Williams Partners will give it more serious consideration than to “take it under advisement” as they have indicated they will do.
Grassroots community efforts like Concerned Residents of Windsor are vitally important to provide broader representation, oversight and accountability as the natural gas industry expands its transportation lines and accompanying compressor stations into New York State. We in West Windsor are the first in Broome County to experience living with a compressor station. We believe that people need to be better and more honestly informed about what to expect before one of these facilities is located in their residential neighborhood. How will it affect quality of life, health and property values? We were told by Laser Midstream back in 2010, regarding its proposed compressor station, that we wouldn’t see it, smell it, or hear it. But we do!
We are publicly asking the PSC to deny the request of Williams to raise the ambient dBA level in the Town of Windsor Noise Control Ordinance and to begin enforcing the existing levels. No further expansion of the compressor station should be permitted until this present noise issue is fully resolved. We are also asking our elected officials at the local, county, and state level to contact the PSC in support of this position.
Our experience in West Windsor indicates that New York State residents need to know much more about how they will be personally impacted by the location of major industrial operations in their rural residential communities. Just being told about projected economic benefits isn’t enough. We suggest that all residents of New York State check with their local officials to see how well prepared their own towns are for a compressor station in their midst. We need to get this right now, at the beginning, and not when a flood of new natural gas facilities is upon us.

CONCERNED RESIDENTS OF WINDSOR—Mark Lippolis, Jerry Henehan, Kelly Pennay, Linda Pierson, Scott Clarke, Rebecca Reed, Peter Ruggieri, Eileen Ruggieri

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This is the latest filing by Williams on 12/17/2012 for modifications and the addition of Two larger compressors at the Dunbar rd. Windsor, NY location

                                                              READ AND LANIADO, LLP
                                                                 ATTORNEYS AT LAW 
                                                           25 EAGLE STREET ALBANY
                                                                 NEW YORK 12207-1901
                                                                   (518) 465-9313 MAIN
KEVIN R. BROCKS                                                 (518) 465-9315 FAX
 

DAVID B. JOHNSON                                                                                  RICHARD C. KING

SAM M. LANIADO                                                                                      HOWARD J. READ

       ____________                                                                                                                                                                               Of Counsel

                                                                                                                              

 

 

KONSTANTIN PODOLNY

                                                                    Via E-Filing

                                                                 December 17, 2012

Hon. Jaclyn A. Brilling
Secretary
New York State Public Service Commission
Empire State Plaza
Agency Building 3
Albany, New York 12223-1350

Re: CASE 10-T-0350 – Joint Petition of DMP New York, Inc. and Laser Northeast Gathering Company, LLC to Amend Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need to Add Two Compressor Units.

Dear Secretary Brilling:

On July 25, 2012 DMP New York, Inc. and Laser Northeast Gathering Company, LLC (collectively "Petitioners") submitted to the New York State Public Service Commission ("Commission") a Joint Petition to amend the Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need issued to Petitioners in the above-captioned docket ("Petition"). Petitioners seek Commission approval to add two new compressor units at the existing Dunbar Compressor Station ("Station") in the Town of Windsor. Petitioners hereby provide this supplement to the Petition, to provide the Commission with more detailed information about the anticipated scope of work envisioned at the Station.

Project Description:

The existing Station, which is in service, and consists of, among other things, three (3) 3606 and one (1) 3616 compressor engines that are currently fully operational. As part of the Petition, primary equipment additions to the existing Station consist of (2) identical packaged G3616 engine driven reciprocating compressors, new inlet separation, new oil coalescing filters, glycol filter/separator, blow down silencer, maintenance flare, 300 BBL storage tank, and five (5) 2000 gallon storage tanks.

In addition, piping, foundations, electrical conduit/cable, and instruments are to be added for a complete and functional facility. Being removed from the site are the existing blow down   



 ________________________________________________________________________     



 Hon. Jaclyn A. Brilling                    December 17, 2012                                   Page 2 of 3
silencer, inlet separators, and filter coalescing vessels. Also being removed is (1) 3606 compressor engine for the purpose of making space for one (1) of the 3616 packages. As such, the Petition will result in the Station containing a total of five (5) compressor engines instead of the previously planned six.

Project Phases:

The first phase of the project will be site work and shop fabrication. The site work consists of leveling off sections of ground within the Station and removing rock and material to make way for the new equipment. This will establish the necessary level ground to set some of the new equipment. The final grade of the Station will remain (to the extent possible) the same as the existing Station with the exception of removing a portion of the vertical rock face on the Station’s east side. Simultaneously, but occurring off-site at the location of the contractor, the piping needed for this installation will be fabricated according to the detailed design provided by Petitioners’ engineering firm.

The second phase will be the setting, and commissioning of, (1) 3616 compressor engine and the two (2) new inlet separators and related piping on the suction side of the Station. This unit will not be brought on-site until all of the preparations to set it are complete and the Company is in receipt of its amended air permit from the NY DEC. While this unit is being set, the entire Station will be shutdown and all gas evacuated from the Station. In order to set the unit, the section of the roof over the slot space for the new unit will be removed. While the new unit and associated equipment are lowered and installed into the Station, the compressor units will remain shutdown. This installation is likely to take about three (3) days. That section of the roof will then be reinstalled with the compressor units resuming operation, until the new second unit is ready for installation during the third phase described below.

The third phase will entail permanently removing one of the existing 3606 compressor units and installing the second new 3616 compressor unit. This work will be identical to the installation of the first unit. However, that particular section of the roof will be required to be removed for a longer period of time, 4-6 days, due to the nature of removing one (1) unit and installing the new unit. In conjunction with this work, some of the discharge piping will be replaced to accommodate the addition of four (4) new filter coalescing vessels. The new blow down silencer and the enclosed maintenance flare will also be installed at this time. The two (2) different sections of the roof will be open or partially open for about 2-3 days, in total, but at different times, while they are being replaced after each new compressor unit has been installed. The compressor units will resume operation, during the roof removal/reinstallation, with the three (3) larger 3616 units operating full time and the two (2) smaller 3606 units acting primarily as back-up units in the event of emergencies or maintenance or until increases in throughput volumes necessitate their operation.

The new water tanks as well as the new/used oil, new/used jacket water and new TEG tanks will be installed during the most suitable phase. All foundations and wiring will be installed on an as- needed basis to facilitate the installation of new equipment. A station control panel and Emergency Shutdown (ESD) will also be installed and integrated during the course of this project.  

 _______________________________________________________________________             


Hon. Jaclyn A. Brilling                 December 17, 2012                             Page 3 of 3 

Accordingly, there may be intermittent, elevated sound levels associated with construction

All work will be conducted between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with the exception of the work day being extended to 7p.m. in the event certain activities cannot be feasibly or safely interrupted. All work on and at the construction site will be subject to Petitioners’ safety requirements and OSHA regulations. All field personnel require drug testing (within the past 12 months) in accordance with a Department of Transportation (D.O.T.) qualified Anti-Drug and Alcohol Misuse Plan and will provide evidence of compliance in the form of lab test certifications. Additional site specific safety training will be administered on-site by the Petitioners’ construction management team. This policy applies to all personnel who will be working at the site with the exception of "occasional visitors." "Occasional visitors" are defined as individuals whose activity on the site is brief and does not involve physical on-site work (examples are delivery truck drivers, meeting attendees at the site, contractor off-site management personnel, specific problem consultants, etc.). A list of contractor field personnel employed on the site that has met these safety requirements is to be provided to the Petitioners’ on-site team. Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) attire such as hard hats, safety eyewear and steel-toed shoes are generally required. Fire retardant clothing (FRC) is required for all work performed in lay down areas and in construction areas.

Please feel free to contact the undersigned should you have any questions.

Respectfully submitted,

READ AND LANIADO, LLP

Attorneys for DMP New York, Inc. and Laser Northeast Gathering Company, LLC

By: ______________/s/____________________

Sam M. Laniado

Konstantin Podolny

cc: Service List

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Filing can be found at this link doc. #67

http://documents.dps.ny.gov/public/Common/SearchResults.aspx?MC=0&MNO=10-t-0350&DFF=2%2F10%2F2011&CI=0