After Congress Gutted Propane Market Reform, Industry Doubles Down on Secretive Storage Plan – DC BureauDC Bureau
March 17, 2015
Cortlandville Propane Facility
October 21, 2014
Attached is a map with a green dot showing the location of the proposed propane facility.
The blue lines show the aquifer boundary and the purple shaded area is the floodplain.
Preble Takes a Stand
March 14, 2014
A model for other Cortland Co. towns? There are actually over 200 NY towns/cities/counties that have imposed bans or moratoria on various aspects of fossil fuel extraction, production, transportation and infrastructure. Except for very specific bans on selling municipal water and processing fracking waste at the Cortland’s municipal treatment plant, this is the first ban in Cortland County and one of the most comprehensive state-wide. This ban is based on the town’s comprehensive plan and on a revision of the zoning code, local and external legal and technical consultation and extensive official and citizen participation.
Preble’s ban recognizes that the threats to its agricultural and rural character extend far beyond the drilling of gas wells because explosive fossil fuels require massive industrialization–pipelines, storage facilities, surface transportation by trucks and rail, compressors, etc. Even if the NY hydrofracking ban remains in place, the fossil fuel infrastructure will continue to expand.
Concerns go beyond “worry” about water contamination, explosions, health dangers, economic boom and bust and destruction of existing economies. Research from PA, CO, TX and other heavily industrialized fossil fuel production areas is providing proof that these impacts are real and significant. This week’s fatal gas main explosion in New York City reminds us that continuing to rely on fossil fuels and our aging infrastructure is a dead end.
Watkins Glen LPG Storage Jan 27, Ithaca
January 20, 2011
ANNOUNCING: Informational Meeting on
Storing Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)
near Watkins Glen: Questions and Answers
Presentations by
- Thomas Shelly, Chemical safety and hazardous materials specialist
- Peter Mantius, Journalist on business and finance, now with DCBureau.com
Human Services Building, 320 W. State Street, Ithaca, NY
Thursday, January 27, 2011, 7:00 – 9:00 pm
A company is proposing to store Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in salt caverns in the town of Reading, 2 miles from Watkins Glen. How does this process work and what are the environmental and safety concerns? Learn more at this informational meeting.
Finger Lakes LPG Storage is seeking approval from NY DEC to store up to 88 million gallons of LPG (propane and butane) in salt caverns near the western shore of Seneca Lake. The facility, straddling Route 14 south of the 14A junction, would include
- Connection to an existing interstate pipeline
- Constructing a 14-acre lined surface pond on the hillside above Seneca Lake, with a capacity to hold 2 million barrels of displaced brine
- Storm water control structures
- Compressors
- Construction of a new rail and truck transfer facility
- LPG storage tanks
- Office and distribution buildings
The salt caverns, currently brine-filled, were created by U.S. Salt and Cargill’s mining operations. To make space for the LPG, some of the brine would be pumped out and placed in the surface pond. As the LPG was needed on a seasonal basis, it would be shipped out by truck and rail. The brine would be moved between the surface pond and the cavern as needed.
There are many questions about safety of this operation, including protection of Seneca Lake as a source of drinking water, possible migration of gases during storage and/or transport, and impact of trucking and rail cars carrying LPG.
The DEC determined that the project could result in enough adverse impacts to require an environmental impact review. The review process grants the public the right to raise questions and make comments. Those comments must be received by the DEC by January 31. Comments can be sent by e-mail to the NY DEC to: David Bimber, Deputy Regional Permit Administrator, at dlbimber@gw.dec.state.ny.us.
This event is sponsored by Social Ventures and Shaleshock Action Alliance. Contact Sara Hess for questions. Sarahess63@yahoo.com
GDACC 
