northern gas pipeline: environmental and socio-economical risks - casa pueblo de adjuntas

8/6/2019 Northern Gas Pipeline: Environmental and socio-economical risks - Casa Pueblo de Adjuntas

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CasaPueblodeAdjuntas

PUERTORICO:NorthernGasPipelineEnvironmentalandsocio-economicalrisks

Dr.ArturoMassol-Deyá

CasaPueblodeAdjuntasTechnicalandScientificCommission

Adjuntas,PUERTORICO00601

[email protected]/fax787.579.5070mob

AboutCasaPueblodeAdjuntas

CasaPuebloisacommunity-basedorganizationwithover30yearsofservicecontributingtowardssustainabledevelopmentinPuertoRicointheareasofeconomicdevelopment,environmentalprotection,educationalprograms,andagriculture.CasaPueblohasbeennationallyandinternationallyrecognized,includingthroughtheawardofa2002GoldmanPrize,equivalenttoanEnvironmentalNobelPrize,toitsDirectorDr.AlexisMassol-González.OurconcernregardingthepotentialimpactofamajornaturalgaspipelineproposalledustoassembleaScientificandTechnicalCommissiontostudythepotentialenvironmental,socialandeconomicalimpactsoftheproject.ThisCommissionhasnow

beenstudyingthisprojectformorethanninemonths.KeyReferences:

AlexisMassolGonzález,EdgardoGonzález,ArturoMassolDeyá,TintiDeyáDíaz,TigheGeoghegan2006.BosquedelPueblo,PuertoRico:Howafighttostopamineendedupchangingforestpolicyfromthebottomup.Policythatworksforforestsandpeopleno.12.InternationalInstituteforEnvironmentandDevelopment,London.Massol-González,A.,A.Andromache-Johnnidis,A.Massol-Deyá.2008.TheEvolutionofCasaPueblo,PuertoRico:FromMiningOppositiontoCommunityDevelopment.Gatekeeper,137b:1-20.

GovernmentProposal:NaturalGasPipelineProject‘VíaVerde’ThePuertoRicoElectricandPowerAuthority(PREPA)proposestoconstructandinstalla24-inchdiametersteelnaturalgaspipelineapproximately92mileslongwithaconstructionright-ofway(ROW)of150feetwide.ThepipelinewilltransversetheislandofPuertoRicofromtheEcoEléctricaLiquidNaturalGasTerminalinthemunicipalityofPeñuelas,totheCambalachethermoelectricpowerplantinthemunicipalityofArecibo,theneasttothePaloSecopowerplantfacilityinthemunicipalitiesofToaBajaandSanJuan.

Toavoidcompliancewithbasicregulatorystandardsandignoreproceduralsafeguardsfor

theconstructionofsuchahigh-riskproject,thegovernorofPuertoRico,LuisFortuño,declaredastateofenergyemergencydesignedtomaintainsecrecy,fast-trackthepermitprocessandthwartfullpublicparticipationinthediscussionoftheproject.



PREPAownsandoperatestheelectricgeneratinganddistributionfacilitiesservingallofPuertoRico.Thismonopolyhasemployedstrong-armtacticstopushthisprojectforwardwhiledeprivingcitizensoftheirconstitutionalrightstodueprocessinaccountingforpublicconcerns,rejectingexperttestimony,andsubvertingallpubliceffortstoaccuratelyassesstheenvironmentalimpactsofthepipeline,andtheriskstohumanhealthandsafety.Whiledoingso,PREPAhasalsoignoredalternativesourcesofenergyoralternativemeansto

supplynaturalgastoitsplants,andhasstagedamultimillion-dollarmediacampaigntomisinformdecisionmakersandmisleadthepublic(e.g.thepipelinewillnotharmforestorwetlands;almost50%reductioninenergycosts[22centsKW-hrto12KW-hr;naturalgasasacleanrenewablesourcewith64%reductioninairemissions).

Insteadofdiversifyingelectricpowersourceswithrenewablealternatives,thispipelinewillonlyservetosubstitutepetroleumfueldependencyfornaturalgasdependency.TheimplicationsofthisproposalforthefutureofPuertoRicoaretoodetrimentaltoaccept.Weneedtobreakthedependencyonfossilfuelswhilepromotingeconomicdevelopmentoftheislandwithself-sustainingresources.

OppositiontotheProject:

Publicoppositiontotheprojectissignificantwith70%ofthecitizensofPuertoRicoopposetheconstructionofthepipeline(ElNuevoDía-March2011).OnMay1,2011,over30,000

peopleinPuertoRicomarchedtoprotestthe‘VíaVerde’gaspipeline.DifferentsectorsofPuertoRicansocietyhaveexpressedtheiroppositiontothisproject,includingchurchgroups,culturalorganizations,academics,laborunions,communitygroups,andPuertoRicansontheU.S.mainland.

TechnicalandscientificevaluationspresentedtotheU.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineers(USACE)-SanJuanOfficebyprofessionalorganizations,communitygroups,unionmembers,archeologists,andacademicshaveevidencedthefollowing:

•‘VíaVerde’isnotaviablealternativesinceitsexclusivesourceofgasisEcoElectrica(this,accordingtotheproponentsintheirsuperficiallocalEnvironmentalImpactStatement).EcoElectricahasadmittedtotheFishandWildlifeService(FWS)thattheylacktherequirednaturalgassend-outcapacityinfrastructure,andthenecessarypermitsfromFERCtosupplygastoPREPA’Sthreenorthernplants.Endorsingthe‘VíaVerde’pipelineprojectwithouthavingsufficientgasforitsoperationisabsurd,



negligent,andsuspicious.EcoElectricahasacknowledgedthatacquiringthesepermitsandmodifyingitsfacilitiescouldtake10years.Thisissuealoneshouldbecauseenoughtorejectthisproposal.‘VíaVerde’isnotfeasible.

•Mostofthe$500millioninvestmentinthisprojectistoprovidefueltotheCambalachePowerPlantinArecibo,whichproduceslessthan1.5%ofthetotalenergydemandofPuertoRico.AlternativelytothisproposalisthecompleteconversionoftheCostaSur(1,360MW)andAguirre(1,492MW)powerplantstonaturalgas(throughtheuseofashortbuoysysteminAguirre).Thisoptionwouldproduceapproximately60%ofthetotalelectricenergyconsumedbytheislandwhiledoublingtheentrancepointsofnaturalgastotheisland.Addingtothisthecurrent15%ofelectricenergyproducedatEcoElectricawouldleadtoasituationwhere75%oftheisland’selectricityisproducedbynaturalgas.Wecontendthatthiswouldbeamorecost-effectivealternativewithoutincurringthecolossalinvestmentforthepipeline(bothCostaSurandAguirrearereadytooperatewithnaturalgas)orthemassiveimpactstotheisland’swaterproductionresourcesandthepermanentrisktoover200,000citizens.(Note:InthemunicipalityofGuayamaAESusescoaltogenerate15%ofthetotalenergyproducedontheisland).

•‘VíaVerde’isnoteconomicallyjustified.AccordingtoastudyperformedbytwospecialistsfromtheUniversityofPuertoRico,MayaguezCampus,inthebestcasescenario‘VíaVerde’willprovidesavingsofonlyonecentperkilowatt-hour.Initspropaganda,PREPAsuggeststhatthesavingsareintheorderof12centsperkilowatt-hour.PREPA’sclaimisimpossibletoachievewith‘VíaVerde’.

•AsrecognizedbyFWS,studieshaveshownthatthisprojectwillhaveanenvironmentalimpactlargerthananyotherprojectcarriedoutinPuertoRicoindecades.

•ThepipelinewillcutaswathacrosstheCordilleraCentralstartingatsealevelandreaching3,000feet,causingmorethan8millioncubicmetersofearthtobedisplaced.Sincethisprojectistobeconstructedthroughanareaofhighprecipitation,itwillcauselandslides,erosionandsedimentationthatinturnwillaffectmultiplebodiesofwater,lakes,andthefishingindustry.

•Theprojectwillimpactmorethan1,500acresofforests,causingpermanenthabitatfragmentation.

•Itwillimpactthehabitatof34endangeredspecies,includingthefragmentationof5,400acresusedfornestingbytheGuabairo(AntilleanNightjar).

•Morethan235riversandstreamswillbeimpacted,includingtheCriticalConservationZoneofthenorthernKarsts,whichproduces25%ofthewaterconsumedinPuertoRico.Environmentalimpactsonminimumflowsduringdryseasonshavenotbeenestablished,butcouldbesignificant,fortheisland’smostimportantwatershed.

•Morethan369acresofwetlandswillbepermanentlyimpacted.

•Archeologicalandhistoricalsiteswillbeimpactedalongthe92-milerouteoftheproject.

•Specialistshaveemphasizedsixhighhazardareas---seismicity,landslides,flooding,

tsunami,fires,andfacilitatedcorrosionbynaturalaciddrainagealong8kmoftheHumatasoilformation---withpotentialtodamagethepipealongitsroute.

•Thepipelinecrossesnearschools,universities,churches,publicbeaches,factories,and



denselytransitedfreeways,andputsthehealth,lifeandpropertyofover200,000peopleatriskaccordingtoriskanalysisusingtheguidelinesoftheCommitteeforPipelinesandPublicSafety,TransmissionPipelinesandLandUse:ARisk-InformedApproach–SpecialReport281(PipelineandHazardousMaterialSafetyAdministration,USDOT).

•Theprojectfailstocomplywith49CFR192.903requirementsforahighconsequencearea,suchasLevittown,whosecalculatedpotentialimpactradiuswouldrangefrom129matanominalpressureof650psi,to192mataMAOPof1440psi(asfiledbySpectraEnergyatFERCforJerseyCity,NJ).

•AstudyconductedbyenvironmentallawclinicsfromtheUniversityofPuertoRicoLawSchool,InteramericanUniversityLawSchoolandVermontLawSchoolurgedUSACEtodenypermissionfortheconstructionofthe‘VíaVerde’gaspipelinebecausethegovernmenthasbeenunabletosupplythenecessaryinformationtothefederalagenciestoappropriatelyevaluatetheimpactoftheproject,whichdoesnotcomplywiththerequirementsoftheCleanWaterAct,northeEndangeredSpeciesAct.Given

themagnitudeofthisprojectUSACEmustdemandaFederalEnvironmentalEvaluationoftheproject.ItmustalsorequireitsproponentstoprepareanEISthatincludesacompleteanalysis,andmustpermitandfacilitatetheopenparticipationofcitizensduringtheprocessofpreparingtheEIS.

‘Gaps’intheongoingevaluationprocess

DocumentationpertinenttotheevaluationofthenaturalgaspipelineprojectwasrecentlytransferredtoUSACEofficesinJacksonville,FL.Thisactionwasaccompaniedbytheissuanceofapublicstatementthatclaimedthisstepwastaken“becauseitisofinterestandthenatureoftheproject ”(ElNuevoDía11demayode2011).Thisdisingenuousclaim

representsyetanothersteptohidefrompublicscrutinyandavoidanopenandtransparentpublicdiscussionontheproject’smeritsandcosts.ThisactionfollowsthefailureofPREPAandotheragenciestoaddresstheconcernsandquestionsofcommunitygroups,scientists,professionalorganizations,archeologists,academics,thescientificandtechnicalcommissionofCasaPueblodeAdjuntas,theLawClinicoftheUniversityofPuertoRicoLawSchool,theSierraClub,andmanyotherorganizations.Toavoideventheappearanceofmalfeasance,itisimperativethatthisprojectcomplieswithallrelevantlawsandregulations,completesandpublicizestheoutcomesofanEnvironmentalImpactAssessment,andhostspublichearingstoinformthepublicandconsidertheirlegitimateinterest.Thishasnothappened.

ConcernswiththeUSCOEColonelAlfredPantano’sstatementtothepress:

“Allthishastobeconsideredintermsoftheimpactthattheconstructionofthe

“gasoducto”willhaveonthespeciespresent.Now,keepinmindthattheconstructionofa“gasoducto”isdifferentfromothertypesofconstruction.Theimpactonmanyoftheareas

andspecieswithinwillbeshortterm.Itisdestructiveonlyduringthetimeofconstruction,butonceit’sdoneitwillnotbeasifyouhavehumansoccupyingthatarea.Wearetalking

aboutexcavating,puttinginpipesandcoveringuptheholeagain.Thisisnotlike

constructingtallbuildings,condominiumsorsuchthingswheretheenvironmentalimpactispermanent.”(Noticel,April27,2011).

SuchstatementbyaUSACEofficialsuggeststhatColonelPantanolacksdetailedknowledgeoftheproject.Itconstitutesalameefforttobrushasidelegitimateconcernsandfactorsthat



shouldbefactoredinwhenconsideringtheenvironmentalimpactofsuchanexpansiveproject.Therewouldbeamyriadofnegativeconsequencesfromsuchamajorconstructionprojectthatwouldpermanentlydegradeenvironmentallysensitiveareas,adverselyaffectendangeredspecies,disruptcommunities,andthreatenthesafetyofindividuals.Moreover,thisstatementcoupledwiththetransferofdocumentsfromlocalUSCOEofficestothoseinJacksonville,FLraisessuspicionaboutthetruemotivesbehindtheseactions,especiallyin

lightofemailevidencebetweenUSCOEandprojectconsultantsBCPeabody(pastdirectoroftheUSCOEJacksonvilleOffice).

ReportbythePresident’sTaskForceonPuertoRicoStatus(March2011)AssistPuertoRicoindevelopingacomprehensiveplanforanewenergyeconomy.PuertoRicohasthepotentialtosuccessfullyemploynew,clean,renewableenergysources,increaseenergyefficiency,reducegreenhousegases,andcreategreen,well-payingjobs.PuertoRico’seconomicsituationanditsgeographiclocationmakeitwellpositionedtogreatlyadvancethegoalofdevelopingacomprehensive,cost-effectiveenergypolicyfortheCaribbean.

Asnotedabove,PuertoRico’sproductionofenergyisheavilydependentonfossilfuels.Duetoitsdependenceonoil,theIsland’seconomyissubjecttopricefluctuationsinglobalenergymarkets.ReducePuertoRico’sdependenceonfossilfuels;Create“greenjob”opportunities;Reducegreenhousegasemissionsandcriteriaairpollutants;andAttractprivatecapitaltoPuertoRico.



Keylinks:www.casapueblo.orgwww.casapueblo.org/radiowww.gutierrez.house.gov(HeadingPuertoRicoGasoducto)

WritetotheUSArmyCorpsofEngineers:"IherebyformallyrequestthatthisdocumentinitsentiretybeconsideredbytheUSACEandbemadepartoftheViaVerdeNaturalGasPipeline;SAJ-2010-02881(IP-EWG)file."ColonelAlfredPantanoDistrictCommanderU.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineersP.O.Box4970Jacksonville,Florida32232-0019

[email protected]

…withelectroniccopyto:

JohnM.Hugh,SecretaryoftheArmy([email protected])CongressmanLuisGutiérrez([email protected])

RobertBarron([email protected])DonaldW.Kinard([email protected])

AlexisMassol-González,DirectorCasaPueblo([email protected])

WritetoUSEPA:

JudithA.EnckAdministratorforEPA’sRegion2Office290BroadwayNewYork,[email protected]

…withelectroniccopyto:

CarlSoderberg([email protected])

CongressmanLuisGutiérrez([email protected])AlexisMassol-González,DirectorCasaPueblo([email protected])



The92mileslongpipelinewilltransversetheislandfromtheEcoEléctricaLiquid

NaturalGasTerminalinthemunicipalityofPeñuelas,tothenorthernthermoelectricpowerplants.

EcoElectricahasadmittedthattheylacktherequirednaturalgassend-outcapacityandthenecessarypermitstosupplygastoPREPA’Sthreenorthernplants.Endorsing

theprojectwithouthavingsufficientgasisabsurd,negligentandsuspicious. Acquiringthesepermitsandmodifyingitsfacilitiescouldtake10years.Thisissuealoneshouldbecauseenoughtorejectthisproposal.Theterminalandstoragefacilitiesareundertsunamiimpactareas.



Ecologicalfootprintofthecancelledsoutherngaspipelineproject.Thisisthenesting

habitatoftheendangeredspeciesAntilleanNightjar(Guabairo).

Specialistshaveemphasizedsixhighhazardareas---seismicity,landslides,flooding,tsunami,fires,andfacilitatedcorrosionbynaturalaciddrainagealong8kmoftheHumatasoilformation---withpotentialtodamagethepipealongitsroute.

northern gas pipeline: environmental and socio-economical risks - casa pueblo de adjuntas

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