So Would He Give FERC a C Minus?
Quote of the Day:* Ralph Lewis, who is probably Connecticut's pre-eminent geologist, compared the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's environmental impact statement on the Broadwater LNG proposal to a research paper by "a reasonably bright undergraduate ... who probably went to the library the afternoon before the paper was due."
* He actually said it last Thursday but it was in the New Haven Register today.
* He actually said it last Thursday but it was in the New Haven Register today.
Labels: Broadwater
posted by Tom Andersen at 1:56 PM
2 Comments:
Not to sound negative here, but just because the quality of work might be cheesy doesn't mean the permit review is inherently wrong or invalid.
That is why most appeals to Federal District Court which win are based on administrative law, not substance. For example, if a public hearing was not properly noticed, that could send the entire shebang back to square one. If the EPA failed to be consulted about the NY/CT State Implementation Plan for ozone and particulate, that would be another. If the FERC "fast track" approval process was ruled invalid, that would also have repercussions for Broadwater.
But my impression is you can't win by arguing about the pipeline trenches.
=============================
P.S., the FERC probably didn't actually write very much except for some comments, notices, and a cover memo. A whole string of consultants working from a prime contractor do most all the heavy lifting. They are taught to write legalese and engineering, not academic-speak.
Sam,
Bingo. FERC has a contractor, ENTRIX, that is doing the research for the EIS if not writing the whole thing.
Post a Comment
<< Home