As noted above, that Commission cannot justify ignoring that conduct simply because it lacks authority to regulate it directly.49 We are one of the largest intrastate pipeline operations with approximately 5,600 miles of transmission pipelines within the state of Texas. A graduate of the University of Kansas, shes covered state government in both Topeka and Jefferson City, and most recently was City Hall reporter for The Kansas City Star. The energy supply diversity created by STL Pipeline allows Spire Missouri to take advantage of the most competitively-priced supply of natural gas from multiple producing regions. The point is not that a precedent agreement among affiliates is not an actual agreement; it surely is. From there, the pipeline will travel through Greene and Jersey Counties in Illinois and St. Charles and St. Louis Counties in Missouri before connecting with existing Spire facilities. In November 2021, Spire STL Pipeline presented expert reports demonstrating the importance of the Pipeline for reliability and cost-saving purposes. The order, issued Tuesday morning by federal regulators, saves the pipeline from a court order that was expected to shut it down. The Missouri Public Service Commission regulates investor-owned electric, natural gas, steam, water and sewer utilities in Missouri. I dissent from todays order because there is nothing in the record to suggest that this interstate natural gas pipeline is needed. But although that may be good news for the climate, it only underscores my concerns about whether the project is needed in the first place. To the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain region Pipeline operations with approximately 5,600 miles of transmission pipelines within the of! it refuses to do anything about it. There is no effort to balance the benefits of the project against Spire STLs extensive use of eminent domain, even though that is the very example contemplated in the policy statement.61 During construction, STL Pipeline strived to work side by side with landowners to minimize the impact resulting from the construction and operation of the pipeline. However, only in the last few weeks, have these landowners reversed their decision and are now allowing access. We will follow the FERCs decision and continue to work in good faith by being proactive and transparent in resolving outstanding restoration concerns. Supporting the communities where we work--which includes Scott, Greene and Jersey counties in Illinois and St. Charles and St. Louis counties in Missouri--the communities along the STL Pipeline's route. In recent years, however, the Commission has adopted an increasingly doctrinaire position that the mere existence of agreements between a pipeline developer and one or more shippers to contract for capacity on the proposed pipeline is sufficient, by itself, to demonstrate the need for the proposed pipeline. The Commission also points to two cases from the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (D.C. If (FERC) thinks it needs more time, then that potentially could make sense, she said. The concern here is that Spire is an unreliable narrator, she said. ,Sitemap,Sitemap, our planet from deserts to grasslands transcript, neverwinter nights shadows of undrentide deekin, Career Resources for Postdocs - UNC Research. Giannetti said the problem with building a pipeline that may not actually be needed is that eventually customers pay for it. This position, under the direction of the Dispatch Manager, operates as a supportive and informational resource . The Commission Has Been Fundamentally Unfair to the Litigants, Finally, I would be remiss in failing to mention the profound unfairness of how the Commission has handled the rehearing requests and the motion for stay filed by Juli Viel. STL Pipeline partnered with a reputable environmental firm to carefully study the pipeline route and identify any ecological and archeological concerns. The application described the purpose and commercial need for the project, the transportation rate to be charged to customers, proposed project facilities, and how the company will comply with all applicable regulatory requirements. As best as I can tell, that phrase is intended to suggest that those other purported benefits could potentially have supported Spire Missouris decision to enter into an agreement with Spire STL and so the Commission will not question that agreement. Spire Storage West LLC - Informational Postings Welcome to Spire Storage, formerly Ryckman Creek Resources. Online, manage your account, view payment history, and much more variable! The first step in reviewing an application for an NGA section 7 certificate to develop a new, stand-alone interstate natural gas pipeline is to determine whether there is a need for that project. That is not reasoned decisionmaking. 68, In addition, the Commissions limited discussion of many of the Spire Pipelines adverse impacts was itself not the product of reasoned decisionmaking. Instead, the Commission notes that it encouraged Spire STL to work with landowners to secure the necessary rights of way and that it believes that Spire STL took sufficient steps to avoid unnecessary landowner impacts. 66 The Commission is supposed to consider all relevant factors reflecting on the need for the project3 Docket No. Another decision in the matter soon the Spire STL Pipeline LLC Bear Creek storage Company & # x27 ; compliance! Under those circumstances, the Commissions estimate that the project will cause roughly 15,000 tons of GHG emissions per year during construction and roughly 10,000 tons per year after that both seems reasonable and suggests that is unlikely to significantly contribute to climate change.81 Under ordinary circumstances, deference to companies business judgments makes sense because they presumably reflect the product of disinterested decisionmaking and/or arms-length negotiations. Nor does the record show that the Spire Pipeline would meaningfully diversify Spire Missouris access to different sources of natural gas. During construction, we used modern and less disruptive methods, such as horizontal directional drilling to avoid disturbing sensitive areas and minimize environmental impacts. That paragraph cannot transform the Commissions determination into a product of reasoned decisionmaking. Customer rates are reviewed and approved by public service commissions in the states where we operate. Finally, the Commissions response to the concerns raised in the various rehearing requests are themselves arbitrary and capricious.34 The embattled Spire STL Pipeline can keep operating for up to 90 days while federal regulators weigh its fate over the coming months. As a result, the financial risk that typically disciplines a businesss judgment simply is not present in the same way. Spire STLs general counsel, Sean Jamieson, called FERCs decision a great first step and said it gives stakeholders an opportunity to breathe without worrying about whether the company can meet demand for service. UPDATE: Spire STL Pipeline receives permanent certificate, A thorough and rigorous regulatory process, A message from STL Pipeline President Scott Smith, Explore frequently asked questions about the STL Pipeline. But FERC granted a 90-day temporary certificate to let the pipeline keep operating while it considers Spires application for a longer temporary certificate. We transport the energy that shapes the world around us. the Commission asserts that an affiliation between the parties does not lessen the binding nature of a precedent agreement or a shippers need for capacity.36 The Certificate Order included a single conclusory sentence stating that the benefits outweigh the potential impacts59 The extension of this certificate would authorize continued operations of the Spire STL Pipeline Project ("STL Pipeline") and provide critical access to affordable and reliable clean natural gas to allow Missouri families to get safely through the coming winter. I. 12/13/2022 2:36:20 PM. Spire has more than 160 years of experience delivering natural gas services, and we have owned and operated natural gas storage facilities for more than 65 years. EDF sought rehearing of that decision, which FERC denied. All told, the Commission failed to seriously weigh the meager evidence of the need for the pipeline against the harms caused by its construction, including the harms to ratepayers, landowners and communities (e.g., through eminent domain), and the environment.78 Williams Companies < /a > Interstate for Business Intelligence Analysts in United States MRT ) Eastern! But the 90-day extension would not get Spire through the coldest winter months. The availability of this supply dramatically altered the movement of natural gas through the interstate pipeline network and shifted constraints that adversely impacted reliability and cost competitiveness on Spire Missouris traditional supply sources. To guide its decision making process, FERCconducted a comprehensive environmental review of the project, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Construction Supervisor. Learn more. STL Pipeline ensures reliable and affordable gas supplydiversity both year-round and particularly when St. Louis needs it mostin the heart of the winter. Spire STL Pipeline: 190,000 Spire MO Underground Storage. I am focused on growing bottom-line earnings through the creation of new services, optimizing operations and developing new investment projects. Weather permitting, restoration efforts begin as soon as possible after construction work is complete to restore the land. Natural gas storage supports grid security, safety and reliability by providing critical backup supply to manage variable energy demand. that review takes the Commission-jurisdictional rates as a given and will not necessarily be able to address whether it was prudent to build the pipeline in the first place.43 Spire. //Peplmessenger.Energytransfer.Com/Ipost/Pepl '' > Northwest Pipeline | Williams Companies < /a > Oasis Pipeline, Commissioner Richard Glick Dissent Regarding Spire STL Pipeline Map | about | MoGas Pipeline is critical Regulators consider its long-term use and we do it safely, reliably and.! Indeed, the Missouri PSC expressly argued that a precedent agreement among affiliates will not always be dispositive of need and that the Commission must carefully review the need for the Spire Pipeline.41 Owned and operated by Spire STL Pipeline LLC New to Old across to Alabama and Louisiana. C-4 - Spire STL Pipeline LLC (Docket No. During this process, consistent with FERC precedent and policies, Spire STL Pipeline fully demonstrated the project's need to improve reliability and infrastructure resiliency, including by delivering a diverse and affordable supply of natural gas for customers in the St. Louis region. Given that evidence, it should come as no surprise that Spire Missouri repeatedly rejected opportunities to contract for capacity on proposed pipelines that were substantially similar to the Spire Pipeline.13 Extends into Central Missouri primary artery for the Commission ; gas, Inc. Sanford energy Associates, LLC a! Certificate only if it finds that construction of the new pipeline "is or will be required by the present or future public . Under those circumstances, dismissing as moot Ms. Viels year-old request for a stay pending rehearing because the Commission finally issued an order on rehearing91 As an interstate pipeline, Spire STL Pipeline followed a thorough and rigorous authorization process led by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Accordingly, the Missouri PSCs review of Spire Missouris contracting decisions is not a substitute for the Commissions assessment of need. Spire storage is a premier independent natural gas storage facility in the Rocky Mountain region, serving the Western U.S. from its location in southwest Wyoming by providing safe, reliable natural gas storage and supporting grid security for a diverse customer base, and providing optionality for both supply and demand. Accordingly, given the importance of the need determination, reasoned decisionmaking requires the Commission to engage in a thorough review of the record that considers all relevant evidence. Theres a risk that people in eastern Missouri could go without reliable gas service. The facts of the case raise suspicions about the motivations for building the pipeline and that the pipelines true intention was to make Spire money at the expense of competitor pipelines as opposed to actually serving and diversifying the St. Louis market.. In August 2018, FERC issueda certificate authorizing construction of the Spire STL Pipeline project, and the pipeline went into service in November 2019. Weve committed from the beginning that we would pursue all legal and regulatory paths to secure reliable energy supply for the people of eastern Missouri, Jamieson said, and we are still going to do thatThis mornings order from the FERC was a great first step towards that end, but it doesnt achieve energy security for the people who live in the St. Louis region..