Application of Williams Field Services Company, LLC and DMP New York, Inc. for a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need Pursuant to Article VII to Construct an Approximately 9.5 Mile Natural Gas Gathering Pipeline in the Town of Windsor, Broome County.

PSC Seeking Public Comments
The New York State Public Service Commission held two public statement hearings, each preceded by an Article VII process session, on a petition in which Williams Field Services Company, LLC and its subsidiary, DMP New York, Inc. (the applicants) seek permission to construct an approximately 9.5 mile,16-inch diameter underground natural gas gathering pipeline parallel to their preexisting pipeline in the Town of Windsor, Broome County,  The applicants say this additional pipeline capacity is needed to transport increasing quantities of gas from their customers’ Pennsylvania wells to the interstate pipeline of Millennium Pipeline Co. LLC.  The Commission may approve, modify, or reject the proposal in whole or in part.

Before each hearing, there was a process forum to provide information about the process to be followed in this case under Article VII of the Public Service Law, and how one can contribute to the record before the Commission.

During the public statement hearings, members of the public had an opportunity to present their comments before an Administrative Law Judge.  The Public Statement Hearings were held on February 11, 2014 at the Windsor Central Middle School in Windsor, NY.  Transcripts of the public statement hearing and all other comments received by the Commission will become part of the record and will be posted for public viewing on the Commission’s website.

Purpose of Public Involvement

In response to the petition, the Commission is seeking public comment, through public statement hearings and other means (described below), regarding the project and particularly (a) whether the project should be limited to transporting only pipeline quality gas, to minimize the risk of internal pipeline corrosion and avoid adverse effects of wet gas upon downstream utility company equipment; (b) whether the invasive species plan and utility crossing plan proposed in the application should be implemented through certificate conditions; (c) how the extended construction hours proposed by the applicants might affect compliance with Windsor’s noise ordinance governing nighttime construction; and (d) the appropriate extent of temporary work space, particularly in agricultural fields.

All public comments should be received by the Secretary no later than March 14, 2014.

Proposed Facility Location

The proposed route runs parallel to, and about 15 feet from, the applicants’ present 16-inch
diameter pipeline in the Town of Windsor, The project would extend 50,187 feet (9.5 miles) from the Pennsylvania border to an interconnection with the 30-inch diameter Millennium pipeline. In addition to the underground pipeline, proposed aboveground facilities along the right-of-way include a mainline block valve and pig launcher 3,625 feet north of the state border, a mainline block valve immediately south of New York SR 17/I-86, and a mainline block valve and pig receiver to tie the proposed project into applicants’ existing Dunbar Compressor Station.

How to Obtain Information

Article VII application documents and other materials pertaining to this case,
including a Summary and Description of Studies of the Environmental Impact of the Proposed
Facility, public statements and comments, testimony, and exhibits can be found here.  Many libraries offer free Internet access.  Additionally, the Windsor Public Library and the Windsor Community House, both at 107 Main Street, Windsor, NY 13865, has each been provided a copy of the application.

Ways to Participate in the Article VII Process

Article VII provides opportunities for individual and group stakeholders to take part in the formal review of the application. There are several ways to participate in the Article VII process as
described below. To save time and manage all of your service and party list subscriptions easily, you may become a registered user of the NYS Public Service Commission’s Document and Matter Management (DMM) System, by clicking on this link: http://www.dps.ny.gov/DMM_Registration.html.  Once registered, you can electronically submit requests to be added to the service or party list for a case.

•    Party Status: Becoming a party to a case enables an individual or group to contribute to the
development of a complete record by conducting discovery, submitting testimony, briefs, or other formal written comments, and participating in evidentiary hearings, procedural conferences and other formal events conducted in the case.

When you submit the request for party status on-line (through DMM), you will be provisionally
added to the party list, subject to the right of other parties to object and subject to the determination of the Administrative Law Judge.  You will be required to mail your request to anyone on the party list who cannot receive e-mail service.  If you do not wish to register online through the Commission’s DMM System, you can download the “Request for Party Status Form” (http://tinyurl.com/PSCParticipateForms) and follow the filing instructions on the form. If you do not have access to a computer, you can call or write to Administrative Law Judge, NYS Public Service Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223-1350, 518-474-4520, to request that a form be mailed to you. Please refer to Case Number 13-T-0538.

•    Service List: Interested persons who wish to monitor the proceedings of a particular case can do so without the formal commitment to become a party to the proceeding.  The persons who subscribe to the service list of a case will receive an e-mail with a direct link to the documents issued by the Commission, such as orders, notices, and rulings.  Persons unable or unwilling to receive such electronic notification will receive hard copies of Commission-issued documents by regular mail.

If you do not wish to register on the NYS Public Service Commission’s DMM System, you may download the “Service List and Mail Service List Request Form” (http://tinyurl.com/PSCParticipateForms) and send the completed form by e-mail to Hon. Kathleen H. Burgess, Secretary at [email protected].  If you are unable to e-mail the form to the Secretary, you may mail your request to: Secretary, Public Service Commission, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12223-1350.

•     Web Monitoring: Interested persons who choose not to sign up to receive e-mail notifications  can view our website at their convenience to check on the status of a case.  All documents filed by parties, correspondence, hearing transcripts, and documents issued by the Commission in a given case are posted on the website for that case.  In addition, all comments submitted by the public are posted under the ‘public comments’ tab for the case.

Other Methods for Commenting on the Case

•    Via the Internet or In Writing: Public comments may be submitted electronically to Hon.
Kathleen H. Burgess, Secretary, at [email protected], or by mail or delivery to Secretary
Burgess at the Department of Public Service, Three Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223-1350. Comments should refer to “Case 13-T-0538 – Williams Windsor Pipeline Proposal.” Comments may also be entered directly into the case by following this link.  Many libraries offer free internet service.

•    Toll-Free Opinion Line: Individuals may choose to submit comments by calling the Commission’s toll-free Opinion Line at 1-800-335-2120.  This line is set up to receive in-state calls 24 hours a day.  These calls are not transcribed, but a summary is provided to the Administrative Law Judge who will report to the Commission and it will be posted for public viewing on the Commission’s website at www.dps.ny.gov. Callers should press “1” and select the choice for electric and gas to leave comments about “Case 13-T-0538 – Williams Windsor Pipeline Proposal.”

 Click here for a copy of the fact sheet.