The Islander East Pipeline –
Essential Energy Infrastructure for Long Island
By Michael White

 

It is no surprise that everyone involved in energy planning emphasizes the need for conservation, efficiency and increased use of renewables-solar, wind, geothermal, biofuels, hydro and even tidal flow. There is even a renewed national conversation on nuclear power - but not on Long Island as nuclear power generation is prohibited on Long Island under the statute that created the Long Island Power Authority. Our energy dialogue revolves around manmade global climate change and economics, the rising and unstable pricing of fossil fuels driven by supply. Our use of foreign oil has also been deemed a national security issue, as many major oil suppliers in the world are not exactly our best friends. What is also evident is that it will take some time for this paradigm shift.

We recognize that natural gas, while still a fossil fuel, is a cleaner burning fuel than oil. Its increased use can reduce our dependence on foreign oil as we await renewables to replace fossil fuels. Natural gas can provide a cleaner fuel for our on-Island electrical power generating plants - some of the dirtiest in the east when burning oil - and provide an alternative cleaner fuel for heating of homes and businesses, as compared to burning oil, which the majority of homes on Long Island presently use. When natural gas is burned there are virtually no emissions of sulfur dioxide or small particulate matter released into the atmosphere and the amount of nitrogen oxide produced is significantly less than oil.

It might, however, be a surprise to many that Long Island stands in need of an additional supply of natural gas for sustained economic development and enhancement of our environment. Indeed the demand for natural gas on Long Island has been growing each year at a rate well above the national average. This demand is expected to continue to grow as more homes and businesses convert to natural gas and our electric generating plants our fueled by natural gas. However, the essential energy infrastructure planned to address this need - the Islander East Pipeline - a pipeline proposed to be constructed under the seafloor in Long Island Sound between Connecticut and Long Island, has been stopped by the State of Connecticut.

The Islander East Pipeline proposes to supply natural gas to growing energy markets in Connecticut, New York City and Long Island. It intends to integrate the natural gas transmission systems between New England and New York, enhancing access to the supply basins in all of North America, including potential reserves off the shore of Nova Scotia. The most immediate benefit of the Islander East Pipeline, proposed to make landfall in Shoreham, would be the “repowering” of the approximate 300 megawatts of the oil fired electrical generating capacity presently located at the Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant site.

The Long Island Regional Planning Council (LIRPC) designated the proposed Islander East Pipeline as a project of regional significance, in that it will affect the quality of life for Long Islanders. Indeed, Islander East is supported by Long Island environmentalists, the business community, Suffolk County, the Long Island Power Authority, our congressional delegation and approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The FERC approved the Islander East Pipeline in 2002, but it has failed to advance as a result of lawsuits brought on by Connecticut advocating rejection of the project. So even when we have unusual consensus on the Island for doing something – we now face a battle with a neighboring state. Particularly in today’s economic uncertainty, this region simply must get better at getting things done rather than stopping things from getting done.

Notwithstanding the clear environmental benefits of a sufficient natural gas supply, Connecticut maintains that Islander East would cause potential harm to a portion of Long Island Sound. We understand and acknowledge Connecticut’s concern for the environment, particularly for our shared Long Island Sound, an estuary of National Significance. But, we simply cannot accept an outright denial of this critical energy project. It is also difficult to understand how a resolution to allow Islander East to proceed in a manner which accommodates the local environmental concerns cannot be reached, particularly since the dispute involves only a small section of the pipeline construction and significant mitigation measures have been proposed. These mitigation measures reportedly include using a sophisticated horizontal drilling technique, to place the pipeline well below the seabed with minimal disturbance to sensitive near shore habitats.

Natural gas is an essential bridge fuel to a future which must bring greater availability and reliance on renewables. But without the additional natural gas supply to be provided by Islander East, Long Island will be denied access to the bridge. Furthermore, with a failed national energy policy and arcane system respecting proposal, review and approval of energy projects such as Islander East, it may very well be another decade before we see an alternative pipeline project.

For now, we await further determinations of the federal courts and continued communications between Islander East representatives and the State of Connecticut on whether Long Island will be timely served with a sufficient supply of natural gas.

Looking forward, our new government in Washington is expected to reveal a bold vision and blueprint for our national energy policy. One which presents action in the short term to achieve long term sustainability and acknowledges regional benefits over parochial interests.

Michael White, executive director, Long Island Regional Planning board