Eastern Shore Natural Gas White Oak Mainline Expansion
In November 2015, Eastern Shore Natural Gas filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission under Docket No. CP1S-18-000 requesting a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the White Oak Mainline Expansion Project, which includes approximately 7.2 miles of 16-inch diameter pipeline loop and associated facilities in Chester County, Pennsylvania, as well as facilities in the state of Delaware. The proposed route will be a combination of the existing right of way, and in some areas, Eastern Shore Natural Gas will be seeking to purchase permanent easements for facilities or temporary workspaces for construction activities.
To view filings with FERC on this project, please visit http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/docket_search.asp, enter "CP15-18" in the Docket Number box and then click "Submit" in the lower left hand corner. Once the page processes, you will see a list of all items that have posted to the FERC website related to the project. The White Oak Expansion construction is complete and the project went in-service in December 2016. The project included approximately 5.4 miles of 16-inch mainline looping in Chester County, PA.
Project Activity
Eastern Shore Natural Gas Company Authorized to Commence Service for the Delaware City Compressor Station
On March 10, 2017, FERC authorized Eastern Shore Natural Gas Company to commence service on their Delaware City Compressor Station, as part of the White Oak Mainline Expansion Project, which includes portions of Chester County. View Letter
FERC Issues Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for the Eastern Shore Natural Gas Company's White Oak Mainline Expansion Project
In an Order, dated July 21, 2016, FERC has issued a certificate of public convenience and necessity, authorizing Eastern Shore Natural Gas Company to proceed with the construction and operation of the proposed White Oak Mainline Expansion Project, as described in this order.
CCPC and CCWRA responses to Draft FERC Environmental Assessment
On May 19, 2016 and May 20, 2016, respectively, the Chester County Planning Commission and Chester County Water Resources Authority provided their review comments to the FERC Draft Environmental Assessment.
All Eastern Shore White Oak Expansion documents can be viewed on the FERC website by following the search instructions in the preceding paragraph.
Draft FERC Environmental Assessment Available
On April 25, 2016, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for comment on the Eastern Shore Natural Gas Company's White Oak Mainline Expansion Project. The FERC Docket Number is CP15-18. To view the Draft Environmental Assessment, visit https://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/docket_search.asp and enter Docket Number CP15-18 into the search box to retrieve a chronological listing of documents, with the EA being presented at the bottom of the page. Comments may be submitted via mail or through their e-file systems, and are due to FERC within 30 days of the posting of this Draft EA.
December 10, 2015
On December 10, 2015, the Chester County Conservation District provided comments to Eastern Shore Natural Gas, PA DEP, and impacted municipalities regarding the White Oak Mainline Expansion Project - Daleville Loop - Erosion and Sediment Control General Permit (ESCGP) application review. View Letter
November 18, 2015
On November 18, 2015, Eastern Shore Natural Gas proposed to construct the Kemblesville Loop portion of the White Oak Mainline Expansion Project along the existing right-of-way, rather than along a new right-of-way, as was originally proposed in Franklin Township. After exploring the Alternative, they determined the Alternative would have more environmental impacts, as well as approximately 1.8 additional miles of pipe, so ESNG has decided to pursue expansion along the existing right-of-way. Comments to FERC are due by December 16, 2015. To view the notice, please visit http://elibrary.ferc.gov/idmws/docket_search.asp, enter "CP15-18" in the Docket Number box and then click "Submit" in the lower left hand corner. Once the page processes, you will see a list of all items that have posted to the FERC website related to the project.
August 20, 2015
On August 20, 2015, the Chester County Conservation District provided comments to Eastern Shore Natural Gas, PA DEP, and impacted municipalities regarding the White Oak Mainline Expansion Project - Daleville Loop - Erosion and Sediment Control General Permit (ESCGP) application review. View Letter
August 7, 2015
On August 7, 2015, the Chester County Water Resources Authority provided comments to FERC regarding the Kemblesville Loop Alternative Route 2 addressing key water resources related items. View Letter
July 9, 2015
On July 9, 2015, FERC issued a Supplemental Notice of intent to prepare an environmental assessment for the proposed White Oak Mainline Expansion project and request for comments on environmental issues. This Supplemental Notice is being issued to seek comments on Alternative Route 2, and as a result, opens a new scoping period for interested parties to file comments on environmental issues specific to this alternative route. Note that this special scoping period will close on August 8, 2015. View Notice
June 23, 2015
On June 23, 2015, FERC issued supplemental information on the White Oak Expansion project that proposes an alternative to the originally proposed route, which avoids direct impacts to the Village of Kemblesville.
March 19, 2015
On March 19, 2015, representatives of Eastern Shore Natural Gas Company met separately with representatives of the National Park Service in Philadelphia, and with Franklin Township representatives in Kemblesville, to discuss certain areas of the Kemblesville Loop segment of the proposed White Oak Mainline Expansion Project. View the letter, meeting minutes and waterbody impact illustration that were submitted to FERC.
The National Park Service (NPS) has responded to the Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment
The National Park Service (NPS) has responded to the Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment for the White Oak Mainline Expansion project. The proposed project proposes 3.9 miles of new pipeline partially within the White Clay Creek watershed, and proposes to cross two streams that are tributaries to the West Branch of White Clay Creek. These two tributaries, as well as the West Branch itself, are federally designated as part of the White Clay Creek National Wild & Scenic River. The NPS wants the Environmental Assessment to fully explore the potential for using the existing ROW (Alternative 2), so as to avoid impacts to the White Clay Creek and the "Outstandingly Remarkable Values," that the Creek was designated under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. View Letter
Eastern Shore has requested FERC approval by May 2015
Letters to potentially affected and impacted landowners have been identified and notification letters sent. You can find Eastern Shore's application on the FERC site at www.ferc.gov, click through the eLibrary link and search for the Daleville Compressor Station upgrade Project, with Docket Number CP15-18-000. Contact information listed for the project is David Kertis, Engineering, Procurement and Construction Manager 302-736-7649/877-650-1257 or dkertis@esng.com.
