After “Toxic Drilling Fluid Leak” in RI, Lawmakers & Enviros Urge Halt to Gas Pipeline Expansion

After “Toxic Drilling Fluid Leak” in RI, Lawmakers & Enviros Urge Halt to Gas Pipeline Expansion

Citing a “toxic drilling fluid leak” in Rhode Island last month, environmental groups - and lawmakers - are urging state leaders to deny all further permits pertaining to an expansion of Enbridge gas pipeline work in the state. 

Recently, eleven Rhode Island State Representatives and three State Senators sent a letter to Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) expressing their concerns. 

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“Enbridge, a Canadian fossil fuel corporation, has announced plans for a massive expansion to the ‘Algonquin’ pipeline system that extends across the Northeast, and through Rhode Island. Details of the expansion, dubbed ‘Project Maple’ are scarce, but it will likely include expanding the fracked-gas compressor station in Burrillville,” they wrote. 

They referenced the attempt by Invenergy to build a power plant adjacent to the Burrilville station that faced strong opposition - and was ultimately defeated in 2017.

“The transportation and burning of fracked-gas emits dangerous toxins that already impact the health and safety of Rhode Island residents, and burning fracked-gas is responsible for a huge portion of the State’s greenhouse gas emissions. In the era of climate change, it is imperative that we rapidly shut down fossil fuel infrastructure, not expand it,” said the fourteen lawmakers (see below). 

 

Rhode Island in Focus

“For the past ten years, Rhode Island has been at the forefront of the movement to stop expansions to this existing pipeline route. Despite intense local opposition, construction has already begun on an initial phase of the project doubling the pipeline’s size from the east side of the Sakonnet River – in the town of Little Compton – to the west side of the River – in the town of Portsmouth,” said the Sierra Club of Rhode Island in a statement announcing the lawmakers - and environmental groups' — opposition to further work in the state. 

“During work on the Sakonnet River pipeline replacement, toxic drilling fluid leaked into a wetland in Portsmouth,” they stated - and included the letter sent by Enbridge Regulatory Director Arthur Diestal to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. 

Enbridge characterized the spill as a "surficial leak."

“The surficial release was observed within the approved workspace and near the planned exit point for the wetland HDD as the pilot hole neared the exit pit. Drilling was temporarily stopped to allow cleanup and containment work to be completed and apply measures to incorporate the returns for reuse in HDD operations. Drilling was resumed when cleanup and containment efforts were successfully completed in compliance with the HDD plan," wrote Diestal. 

According to Diestal, the "release time and date was approximately 8:30 am on October 7, 2024" and the "estimated volume observed at the ground surface" was 50 gallons.

 

 

 

 

Enbridge, when reached for comment on the lawmakers' concerns, issued the following statement

“Project Maple is a potential future project, and an application for Project Maple has not been filed with FERC. The Sakonnet River Replacement Project is a separate maintenance project, the installation of a replacement pipeline and related facilities, that will allow us to continue to meet the energy needs of Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island – Algonquin has all required permits for this project,” Melissa Sherburne, Regional Spokesperson for Enbridge, told GoLocal. “When an issue was discovered during construction, response measures established in the plan approved by FERC were implemented successfully and the issue was immediately contained in the work area.”

GoLocal reached out to the Sierra Club for their concerns moving forward.

“The initial phase - the Sakonnet River project - was approved by the CRMC in May,” said Nick Katevich with the Sierra Club of Rhode Island. “Enbridge has not yet announced the details of the fuller Project Maple proposal, but it is likely that the proposal will include an expansion of the pipeline compressor station in Burrillville. Enbridge would need to get an air permit from the DEM for any expansion of the compressor station that would result in an increase in emissions.”

“At the federal level, Enbridge will need to receive a permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The process for attaining a FERC permit for a large expansion will take years,” he added. “They may also need Army Corps and state level wetland or water crossing permits based on what the proposal will involve.”

When reached for comment on the environmental groups and legislators’ specific concerns, DEM spokesperson Kim Keough said “DEM is not involved in this project and does not have enough information to provide a comment.”

The lawmakers who sent the letter voicing their concerns were Rhode Island State Representatives David Morales, Susan Donovan, Lauren Carson, Arthur Handy, Brandon Potter, David Bennett, Cherie L. Cruz, Teresa Tanzi, Jennifer Stewart, Jennifer Boylan, Enrigue George Sanchez and Senators Sam Bell, Meghan Kallman, and Samuel Zurier.

McKee’s office did not respond to request for comment on the letter submitted to his office.