Appeals Court Vacates New Jersey Water Permit for Williams’ NESE Pipeline
Author: Natural Gas Intelligence·
Key Takeaways
- •A federal appeals court vacated New Jersey's water quality certification for Williams' Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) natural gas pipeline project.
- •The court determined that safeguards required under the federal Clean Water Act had not been approved in connection with the certification.
- •The setback occurred about five months after Williams broke ground on the pipeline.
- •A separate appeal targeting New York's certification was unsuccessful, so New York's approval remains in effect.
- •Winter price premiums are cited as supporting the case for additional pipeline capacity in the region.
A federal appeals court has vacated New Jersey’s water quality certification for Williams’ Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) natural gas pipeline project, creating another setback for the project five months after Williams broke ground.
The judges faulted safeguards under the federal Clean Water Act (CWA) that had not been approved. The decision affects New Jersey’s certification, while a separate appeal involving New York’s certification remains unsuccessful and that certification survives.
Winter price premiums are supporting the case for additional pipeline capacity, according to the factors outlined in the ruling’s context.
Source: Natural Gas Intelligence.
