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Enbridge says FERC certificate issued for Ridgeline pipeline; state and Corps permits still pending
Summary
An Enbridge representative told Putnam County commissioners that a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission certificate has been issued for the Ridgeline pipeline; the company said it expects state and Army Corps permits by August and plans construction to start in October or November, taking about a year to complete.
Art Haskins, manager of stakeholder engagement for Enbridge's East Tennessee Natural Gas, briefed the Putnam County Commission on the Ridgeline Natural Gas Pipeline Project and described the company's remaining regulatory steps and construction timeline.
"We ... in April, received our certificate from FERC to move forward with this project," Haskins said. He told commissioners Enbridge is still awaiting a Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation permit and a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers permit, both of which he said the company expected by August. Haskins said the company anticipates a FERC notice to proceed and start of construction in October or November at the latest and that the overall construction period would take about a year.
Haskins described early construction work and environmental constraints: right after surveying the route the company will perform tree clearing, which he said is limited to a mid-October through April 1 window; the project will also use trenchless horizontal directional drilling for water crossings. He said about 91% of the Ridgeline route follows existing rights of way and that Enbridge is seeking temporary workspace of roughly 50 to 60 feet beyond the permanent 50-foot easement where needed, with compensation to landowners and subsequent restoration.
On workforce and local hiring, Haskins said there would be about 1,200 employees across eight counties during construction, and that Enbridge is working with a union contractor and local training providers, including TCATs, and with the local Chamber of Commerce on job fairs. He also said pipe delivery will use waterways and barges up the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers to local storage areas.
A commissioner asked whether TVA easements overlapped the route; Haskins said most landowners along the route already have the existing right of way and that Enbridge had negotiated temporary workspace and compensation where additional width is required.
Haskins closed by offering to answer additional questions from the commission and noted the company had provided informational handouts about the project and construction process.
