Wisconsin Public Service Commission Faces Criticism Over Liquefied Natural Gas Facility and Pipeline Project

The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin has submitted a detailed critique of the proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility and associated pipeline project in the City of Oak Creek, Milwaukee County. The organization argues that the Environmental Assessment (EA) fails to adequately analyze the full environmental, social, and public health impacts of the project. The League of Women Voters has a long history of advocating for environmental protection and social justice, and their comments were submitted in response to the Public Service Commission's (PSC) request for input on the project.

Key Takeaways:

• The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin argues that the EA does not adequately analyze the environmental, social, and public health impacts of the proposed LNG facility and pipeline project.
• The organization highlights concerns over the source of water during the operation, construction, and maintenance of the facility, including the potential impact on Lake Michigan and the municipal water supply system.
• The League of Women Voters points out that the application states that the existing water source on the OCGS site is the City of Oak Creek municipal water supply system, but fails to disclose directly the source of the water and the quantity of water needed for the project during construction, operation, and maintenance.
• The organization also expresses concerns over the potential cumulative impacts of the project on air quality and water quality and quantity, given other large proposed energy facilities in the region.
• The League of Women Voters criticizes the PSC's public involvement process, citing an extremely short public comment period and difficulties in engaging with the public during the holiday season.
• The organization urges the PSC to reconsider the determination of the necessity of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and to analyze the projects together as one large, complex project.

Statistics:

• The proposed LNG facility and pipeline project are expected to operate for at least 30 years, far exceeding Wisconsin's clean energy goals (Source: League of Women Voters of Wisconsin).
• The project is expected to have significant negative impacts on natural resources, human health, and communities already suffering from eco-justice discriminatory development (Source: League of Women Voters of Wisconsin).
• The PSC's public comment period for the project was open for less than three weeks, and the comment link did not become available until 11 days late (Source: League of Women Voters of Wisconsin).

Sources:

• Source 1: League of Women Voters of Wisconsin (https://www.lwv.org/impact-issues & https://my.lwv.org/wisconsin/positions)
• Source 2: Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (Dockets # 6630-CE-317 and # 6630-CG-140)