The Patriot Ledger
By Mary Whitfill and Jessica Trufant
WEYMOUTH — Officials say the natural gas compressor station on the banks of the Fore River is scheduled to go online in early December. The news comes two months after local, state and federal officials called for a halt of compressor operations when two emergency shutdowns caused hundreds of thousands of cubic feet of natural gas to be released into the air.
Max Bergeron, spokesman for the Canadian company that built the compressor station, said Wednesday the first emergency shutdown on Sept. 11 was caused by the use of an O-ring that was not designed for the operating environment of a piece of equipment. He said the second incident, on Sept. 30, was caused by an electrical issue.
Bergeron said both issues have been fixed, and the compressor has been given the OK to resume operations by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
“The thorough review process has allowed us to identify and address the issues which led to the unplanned events, and verify that the Weymouth Compressor Station is fully prepared to safely enter service,” Bergeron said in an email.
The controversial compressor station is part of Enbridge’s Atlantic Bridge project, which would expand the company’s natural gas pipelines from New Jersey into Canada. It has been a point of contention for years among community members, who say it presents serious health and safety problems.
Algonquin Gas Transmission, a subsidiary of Spectra Energy, received initial approval for the compressor station in January 2017 from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Enbridge later acquired Spectra. The company also needed several state permits, all of which were granted by regulators despite vehement and organized opposition from local officials and residents. The Town of Weymouth alone filed two dozen lawsuits and spent more than $1.6 million in legal fees attempting to stop the project.
Since then, the Town of Weymouth has entered into an agreement with Enbridge that will provide the town with $10 million upfront and potentially $28 million in tax revenue during the next 35 years. In return, the town agreed to drop pending lawsuits.
The compressor station started testing for the first time the week of Sept. 7. It was only days later that the first emergency shutdown occurred and members of the town’s congressional delegation immediately called for federal regulators to halt operation of the station.
Congressman Stephen Lynch sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao calling the compressor station a “misguided and dangerous project” that poses an “imminent public safety threat” to the residents of Weymouth and nearby communities.
On Wednesday, Bergeron said the compressor station complies with all applicable regulations and that Enbridge will be communicating further with neighbors, state and municipal officials and first responders.
“We are committed to being good neighbors and operating the compressor station safely and reliably,” Bergeron said in an email. “The Algonquin Gas Transmission system has provided access to reliable, affordable natural gas for homes and businesses in the area for decades, and this facility enables us to transport additional supplies of natural gas for local gas utilities in Maine and Atlantic Canada, helping homes and businesses switch from higher-emitting fuels to cleaner-burning natural gas.”
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