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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
www.casapueblo.orgamassol@gmail.com787.829.4842tel/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.
8/6/2019 Northern Gas Pipeline: Environmental and socio-economical risks - Casa Pueblo de Adjuntas
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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,
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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
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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
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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.
8/6/2019 Northern Gas Pipeline: Environmental and socio-economical risks - Casa Pueblo de Adjuntas
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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
alfred.a.pantano@usace.army.mil
…withelectroniccopyto:
JohnM.Hugh,SecretaryoftheArmy(gregory.bowman@us.army.mil)CongressmanLuisGutiérrez(Enrique.Fernandez@mail.house.gov)
RobertBarron(Robert.b.barron@usace.army.mil)DonaldW.Kinard(Donald.W.Kinard@usace.army.mil)
AlexisMassol-González,DirectorCasaPueblo(casapueb@coqui.net)
WritetoUSEPA:
JudithA.EnckAdministratorforEPA’sRegion2Office290BroadwayNewYork,NewYork10007-1866enck.judith@epa.gov
…withelectroniccopyto:
CarlSoderberg(soderberg.carl@epa.gov)
CongressmanLuisGutiérrez(Enrique.Fernandez@mail.house.gov)AlexisMassol-González,DirectorCasaPueblo(casapueb@coqui.net)
8/6/2019 Northern Gas Pipeline: Environmental and socio-economical risks - Casa Pueblo de Adjuntas
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The92mileslongpipelinewilltransversetheislandfromtheEcoEléctricaLiquid
NaturalGasTerminalinthemunicipalityofPeñuelas,tothenorthernthermoelectricpowerplants.
EcoElectricahasadmittedthattheylacktherequirednaturalgassend-outcapacityandthenecessarypermitstosupplygastoPREPA’Sthreenorthernplants.Endorsing
theprojectwithouthavingsufficientgasisabsurd,negligentandsuspicious. Acquiringthesepermitsandmodifyingitsfacilitiescouldtake10years.Thisissuealoneshouldbecauseenoughtorejectthisproposal.Theterminalandstoragefacilitiesareundertsunamiimpactareas.
8/6/2019 Northern Gas Pipeline: Environmental and socio-economical risks - Casa Pueblo de Adjuntas
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Ecologicalfootprintofthecancelledsoutherngaspipelineproject.Thisisthenesting
habitatoftheendangeredspeciesAntilleanNightjar(Guabairo).
Specialistshaveemphasizedsixhighhazardareas---seismicity,landslides,flooding,tsunami,fires,andfacilitatedcorrosionbynaturalaciddrainagealong8kmoftheHumatasoilformation---withpotentialtodamagethepipealongitsroute.
8/6/2019 Northern Gas Pipeline: Environmental and socio-economical risks - Casa Pueblo de Adjuntas
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8/6/2019 Northern Gas Pipeline: Environmental and socio-economical risks - Casa Pueblo de Adjuntas
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8/6/2019 Northern Gas Pipeline: Environmental and socio-economical risks - Casa Pueblo de Adjuntas
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