The Rover Pipeline today received approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to commence horizontal directional drilling (HDD) at four additional locations along the project’s route.
According to FERC’s order, Rover’s site-specific measures for these four locations, developed in coordination with independent peer reviews conducted by third-party engineering experts J.D. Hair & Associates, have met the regulatory agency’s requirements.
The Rover Pipeline has been partially in-service since September. With all HDDs now underway, the project is expected to be fully operational by the end of first quarter 2018.
The Coalition for the Expansion of Pipeline Infrastructure (CEPI) issued the following statement in response, which can be attributed to John McClelland, spokesperson for the coalition.
“This decision by FERC to authorize four HDD locations is an important step toward the completion of the Rover Pipeline, demonstrating the project’s renewed focus on ensuring minimal environmental impacts during the construction process. The decision also underscores the importance of clear, cooperative relations between regulators and private companies, which result in mutually beneficial solutions for all stakeholders. The Coalition for the Expansion of Pipeline Infrastructure looks forward to a timely completion of Rover’s HDD activity as well as the construction process.”