Wisconsin Public Service Commission Urged to Conduct Comprehensive Environmental Assessment on Rochester Lateral Project

Strategic Insights -

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin has been urged by several organizations to conduct a thorough environmental assessment of the Rochester Lateral Project, a $210 million proposal for 33 miles of new natural gas transmission pipeline spanning across Kenosha, Milwaukee, and Racine Counties. The project has raised concerns about the health and safety of workers involved in its installation, maintenance, and repair, as well as its impact on the environment and local communities.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Rochester Lateral Project poses significant risks to the health and safety of workers, including exposure to hazardous chemicals and increased risk of cancer and respiratory diseases.
  • The project has the potential to cause environmental damage, including leaks and contamination of waterways, wetlands, and ecosystems.
  • The assessment should include a comprehensive evaluation of the project's impact on climate, air quality, and environmental health, as well as its potential impact on utility rates and energy burden.
  • Energy burden disproportionately affects Black, Indigenous, and communities of color in Wisconsin, and large investments in fossil fuel infrastructure should be scrutinized to protect customers.
  • The project's proposal has a $210 million price tag and should be subject to rigorous, science-based assessment to ensure decision-making that prioritizes public well-being and long-term sustainability.
  • The construction of the pipeline has the potential to breach aquifers and threaten clean water sources.
  • Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) methods can have frac-outs and threaten waterways and ecosystems.
  • Leaks from the pipeline can release over 296 chemical compounds, including hazardous air pollutants and known carcinogens like benzene.
  • Methane emissions from natural gas infrastructure are significantly underestimated by current U.S. EPA Greenhouse Gas Inventory figures, contributing to climate change and air pollution.

Statistics:

  • 1846 incidents, 49 deaths, 173 injuries, and $1.7 billion in property damage were caused by onshore natural gas transmission pipelines between 2000 and 2019 in the United States.
  • 296 chemical compounds, including 21 hazardous air pollutants, can be released during pipeline leaks.
  • Methane emissions from natural gas infrastructure can contribute as much as 2.6 million tons of methane annually to climate change and air pollution.
  • Methane has over 80 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.

Sources:

  • Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, Docket ID: 6630-CG-139
  • Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Greenhouse Gas Inventory
  • World Health Organization on air pollution and climate change
  • Sierra Club, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Conservation Voters, Wisconsin Environmental Health Network, Wisconsin Environmental Justice & Infrastructure Initiative, and 350 Wisconsin.