{"id":2075032,"date":"2023-10-21T11:23:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-21T15:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/federal-regulators-approve-pacific-northwest-gas-pipeline-expansion\/"},"modified":"2023-10-21T11:27:44","modified_gmt":"2023-10-21T15:27:44","slug":"federal-regulators-approve-pacific-northwest-gas-pipeline-expansion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/federal-regulators-approve-pacific-northwest-gas-pipeline-expansion\/","title":{"rendered":"Federal regulators have given the green light to expand the Pacific Northwest gas pipeline."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffederal-regulators-approve-pacific-northwest-gas-pipeline-expansion%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2075032&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>Federal Regulators \u2062Approve Expansion of Natural \u200cGas Pipeline Despite Opposition<\/h2>\n<p>In a \u200bcontentious move on Oct. 19, federal regulators gave the green light to the expansion of a natural gas pipeline in the Pacific Northwest. This decision has\u2064 sparked objections from environmental groups and senior officials in West Coast states who argue that it contradicts the region&#8217;s efforts to combat climate change and could increase\u200d the risk of wildfires.<\/p>\n<p>The approved \u2062GTN Xpress\u2063 Project aims to increase the daily capacity of the Gas Transmission Northwest \u2062pipeline, which runs through Idaho, Washington, and \u200dOregon,\u2063 by approximately 150 million cubic \u2062feet. The \u2063Federal Energy Regulatory Commission&#8217;s approval \u200don \u2063Thursday allows GTN Xpress to \u200cmove forward with its plans.<\/p>\n<p>TC \u2063Energy, the\u2063 pipeline&#8217;s owner, intends to \u200bmodify compressor stations in Kootenai County, Idaho, Walla Walla \u200bCounty, Washington, and Sherman County, Oregon, to accommodate the expansion. Compressor stations play a crucial role\u2064 in maintaining \u200bpipeline pressure and gas flow over long distances.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2>Related Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/north-dakota-blocks-major-proposed-pipeline-5445111?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">North Dakota Blocks Major Proposed Pipeline<\/a><\/h3>\n<p class=\"text-comp-caption\">8\/4\/2023<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/opinion\/tc-energy-dumping-keystone-pipeline-5459590?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">TC Energy&#8217;s Dumping of the Keystone Pipeline Is Lamentable<\/a><\/h3>\n<p class=\"text-comp-caption\">8\/12\/2023<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>In a statement posted on\u2064 their website, TC Energy expressed\u2062 their appreciation \u2064for the Federal Energy\u200b Regulatory Commission&#8217;s bipartisan approval of the GTN \u200cXpress Project. They emphasized\u2064 the \u200bcritical role \u200cthis\u2062 project \u200bwill play in ensuring affordable \u2062and reliable\u2062 energy for consumers in\u200d California and the Pacific Northwest. TC Energy is committed to promptly putting the project into service.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Audrey Leonard, \u2064a staff attorney for the non-profit environmental organization Columbia Riverkeeper, criticized the decision, stating that it sets a precedent for unnecessary fracked gas in the Northwest. She also \u200caccused the energy agency of disregarding the concerns raised by senators, governors, state attorneys general, tribes, \u2062and the \u2062public.<\/p>\n<p>Leonard highlighted the potential environmental damage and increased \u200cwildfire risk associated with spills and\u2063 explosions on the aging pipeline. She announced that Columbia\u2064 Riverkeeper will file\u2063 a petition for a\u2062 rehearing \u200bin response to the regulators&#8217; decision.<\/p>\n<p>It is worth noting that TC Energy,\u200b the corporation behind\u2062 this\u200d pipeline, was also responsible for the now-defunct Keystone XL \u200dcrude oil pipeline.<\/p>\n<p>Opponents of the \u2063project, including officials \u200cand environmentalists, have expressed concerns about \u200bTC Energy&#8217;s safety record. Recent incidents, such \u200cas \u2063the explosion of its Columbia Gas Transmission pipeline in Virginia and the significant \u200ccrude oil leak from its Keystone pipeline in Kansas, have raised doubts about the company&#8217;s ability to ensure\u200c safety.<\/p>\n<p>Oregon, Washington, and California have enacted\u200b legislation mandating a transition \u2063to 100 percent renewable electricity sources by 2040 and 2045,\u200d respectively. The attorneys\u2064 general of these states argue that the GTN Xpress Project, as indicated by the energy\u2064 agency&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-bidens-overhaul-of-the-federal-oil-and-gas-leasing-program-means\/\" title=\"What Biden\u2019s Overhaul of the Federal Oil and Gas Leasing Program Means\">draft environmental impact statement<\/a>, will\u2064 result in substantial annual \u200cemissions\u200b of greenhouse gases for the next three \u200bdecades.<\/p>\n<p>Prior to commencing construction, the agency has suggested that the company provide environmental mitigation training\u200d to its employees and contractors. However, environmental \u2064groups argue that this\u200d assessment fails to adequately address\u200d the project&#8217;s overall\u200c damage, including the\u200c use of hydraulic fracturing to \u200cextract natural gas for the pipeline.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>This development comes just months after North \u2063Dakota \u2063officials blocked a proposed carbon capture pipeline on Aug. \u20624, siding with landowners who\u2063 opposed the project.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Summit Carbon Solutions had planned to construct a 320-mile\u200c carbon dioxide pipeline in the\u200d state to transport greenhouse emissions from\u2063 ethanol plants to \u200can underground storage facility.\u2062 However, the North Dakota \u200dPublic Service \u2064Commission unanimously denied the requested siting permit. The\u200d company now has\u2064 the option to reapply for a permit or take the matter to court.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Farmers in\u200d South Dakota have also united against a similar project that would cut through productive areas of their family \u2063farms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<em>The \u2064Associated Press contributed to this report.<\/em>\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What are the concerns raised by environmental groups in the Pacific Northwest regarding natural gas pipelines and \u2063how do they impact the \u2064environment and efforts to combat climate\u2062 change<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Project. The Keystone XL pipeline faced \u200bwidespread opposition from environmental groups and Indigenous activists, and its cancellation by the Biden administration was\u2062 celebrated\u200c as a victory for climate \u200caction and Indigenous rights.<\/p>\n<p>The approval of the GTN Xpress Project has deeply disappointed \u2062those who were hopeful for a shift towards cleaner energy alternatives and a more sustainable future. \u200bCritics\u2062 argue that\u2063 the expansion of\u200d natural gas infrastructure contradicts the region&#8217;s commitments to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/landmark-climate-study-says-melting-arctic-wont-lead-to-more-severe-cold-weather\/\" title=\"Landmark Climate Study Says Melting Arctic Won\u2019t Lead to More Severe Cold Weather\">reducing greenhouse gas emissions<\/a> and\u200c transitioning to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/175-ways-biden-has-made-it-harder-to-produce-oil-and-gas-energy-institute-report\/\" title=\"Energy Institute Report: 175 Obstacles Created by Biden for Oil and Gas Production\">renewable energy\u2063 sources<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Environmental groups \u200bin the Pacific Northwest have long raised concerns\u2063 about the risks associated with natural gas \u200cpipelines.\u200b They argue that pipeline leaks and \u2064ruptures \u200bcan result \u200cin significant harm to the environment, including soil and water contamination, \u2063as well as increased methane emissions &#8211; a potent greenhouse gas. Additionally, the aging infrastructure of the pipeline\u2064 raises concerns about its\u200c integrity, increasing the \u2062risk of accidents that could have catastrophic consequences.<\/p>\n<p>The\u2062 approval \u2062of the GTN Xpress Project also disregards the concerns and objections of senior officials in West Coast states. Governors, senators, and state attorneys general have voiced their opposition to \u200dthe project, recognizing\u2064 the potential threat it poses to the region&#8217;s \u200befforts to combat\u2062 climate change and protect \u2064its \u2063natural \u2063resources.\u2063 The \u2063decision \u200cundermines the collaborative efforts of\u2063 these leaders \u200bto advance\u2064 clean energy \u2062initiatives \u2064and reduce\u2064 dependency on fossil fuels.<\/p>\n<p>While\u2062 TC Energy emphasizes the importance \u2062of the project in ensuring affordable and reliable energy \u200cfor\u2063 consumers,\u200d it is crucial to \u200bconsider the long-term implications of relying on\u200b natural gas. As the world increasingly\u200b shifts towards <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/outdated-solar-panels-wind-turbines-electric-car-batteries-will-clog-landfills-with-hazardous-waste-according-to-new-report\/\" title=\"Outdated Solar Panels, Wind Turbines, Electric Car Batteries Will Clog Landfills With Hazardous Waste According To New Report\">renewable energy sources<\/a>, investing in the \u2062expansion \u200cof fossil fuel\u2063 infrastructure may hinder \u2064the transition and lock the region into a carbon-intensive energy system.<\/p>\n<p>The controversy surrounding the \u2063approval of the\u2064 GTN Xpress Project highlights the \u2064ongoing tensions\u2063 between economic development, energy security, and environmental sustainability. Balancing these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/federal-regulators-approve-pacific-northwest-gas-pipeline-expansion\/\" title=\"Federal regulators have given the green light to expand the Pacific Northwest gas pipeline.\">competing interests requires \u2063careful consideration<\/a> of the\u2063 potential \u2062risks and benefits associated with different energy\u200d projects, as well as meaningful engagement with \u2062affected communities and stakeholders.<\/p>\n<p>The decision by federal regulators to approve the expansion of the\u2063 natural\u200c gas \u2062pipeline in the Pacific Northwest has ignited a heated\u2063 debate. It poses fundamental questions about the \u2063region&#8217;s commitment to addressing \u200dclimate \u200cchange, protecting the environment, \u2062and\u2064 charting a sustainable path \u2062forward. As the debate \u2063continues, it remains to be \u200bseen how the \u200cproject\u2063 will\u200d ultimately impact the region, \u2062its communities, and its broader environmental goals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Federal regulators approved the controversial expansion of a Pacific Northwest natural gas pipeline on Oct. 19, despite objections from environmental groups and West Coast officials. They argued that the decision contradicts the region&#8217;s climate change initiatives and may heighten the risk.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1843,"featured_media":2075033,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2075032","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2075032","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1843"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2075032"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2075032\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2075033"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2075032"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2075032"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2075032"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}