The Holbrook Compressor Station (“Holbrook”), which sits on just over 44 acres of land adjacent to the Ryerson Station State Park in Richhill Township, Greene County, began its operation in 1955. Currently, there are twelve reciprocating units on site that aid in the movement of natural gas, which runs from the Gulf Coast of Texas and Louisiana to the New York City area. As the natural gas travels through pipelines, friction and elevation differences slow the movement of the gas and cause pressure to be lost. Compressor stations are tactically placed along the pipeline to maintain the pressure and flow of the gas to its end market.
Last month, Texas Eastern Transmission (“Texas Eastern”), a major natural gas company and owner of Holbrook, applied with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) to install two new compressor units, a new compressor building, a new electrical control building, and develop a new stormwater management retention basin. The Proposal made by Texas Eastern is not to reach new customers but rather to install newer technology that will reduce and prevent disruption to current customers in New York.
Projected to start construction in late spring of 2022, Texas Eastern is looking for approval to replace the existing twelve compressor units with two new units. Both the old and new units are and will be powered by natural gas. The current twelve units in question were installed in the 1950s. The replacement units are advertised to be more efficient and will reduce air emissions at the station.
With the hope of being finished with the project in November of 2023, all proposed work will take place at the Holbrook station within the fenced area. The one exception to this is the temporary use of a construction yard, Bristoria Wareyard, about 3.5 miles away for staging materials and equipment. This construction yard is currently owned by Texas Eastern and was used in the past for similar construction projects. The application states that the project will occur almost entirely inside the Holbrook fence line and the construction yard.
The project will require removing small trees and shrubs with the anticipation of minimal to no large tree removal. The application also lays out how the project will include erosion and sediment control procedures to reduce and prevent any sediment of the project from getting into North Fork Dunkard Fork, which flows just southwest of the Holbrook station. The project also prohibits any storage of hazardous materials, such as fuel, within 100 feet of any stream or wetland. This also includes the detail that equipment should not be refueled or parked within 100 feet of any stream or wetland, except when an inspector has determined there is no reasonable alternative.
The Holbrook project will result in a temporary increase of some air emissions and pollutants due to equipment powered by diesel or gasoline engines. The application does not predict any other actions related to this project which would add to the cumulative air pollution. As for noise pollution, all activities will be conducted onsite and will result in temporary, short-term use of construction equipment.
Currently, the application made by Texas Eastern has been submitted to FERC. It will also be reviewed by the U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure there is no disruption to migratory bird patterns and other wildlife. Texas Eastern has also submitted applications with the PA Department of Environmental Protection to approve a plan on air contamination, Water Quality Certification, and a permit on the Erosion and Sediment Control plan, all of which are anticipated to be issued in 2021.
The application for this project is straightforward: remove twelve compressor units and replace them with two new, more efficient compressor units. Nonetheless, CCJ will continue to monitor this process and update the public about any significant changes or issues in the project.
The Holbrook compressor station, showing the location of North Fork Dunkard Fork.
