Investors want to profit from the sale of PA gas to foreign markets.

Wyalusing Creek
Brian Keeler Studio, www.briankeeler.com

History

New Fortress Energy (NFE) dba Bradford County Real Estate Partners (BCRP) approached Wyalusing Township, Pennsylvania, with a plan to construct a gas processing plant to produce liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from Marcellus Shale fracked gas. The project would produce 3 to 4 million gallons of LNG, 365 days per year. This quantity can fill 300-400 tanker trucks or 100 (30,000 gal) cryogenic rail cars per day. The hazardous, flammable LNG would be moved overland (rail or road) approximately 200 miles through 13 Pennsylvania Counties to a port in Gibbstown, NJ, where an entity related to NFE plans to build a deepwater port.  From the port, the LNG would be shipped overseas.  

This project is NOT about U.S. “energy independence.” LNG is how gas is shipped overseas. LNG exports are solely for the profits of investors.  It is now understood by economists that LNG exports and the commoditization of gas is causing U.S. gas prices to increase, causing the price you pay for home heating and electricity to go up.  It is now understood that true energy independence means renewable fuel sources and locally sourced power.

October 17, 2018. Wyalusing Township and Bradford County receive municipal Notification letters from BCRP/NFE.   See DEP permits here: https://www.dep.pa.gov/About/Regional/North-central-Regional-Office/Community-Information/Pages/New-Fortress-Energy.aspx

November 9, 2018. Wyalusing Township Planning Commission holds public hearing and recommends LNG Plant Approval. https://www.rocket-courier.com/articles/wyalusing-twp-planning-commission-recommends-approval-of-browntown-lng-plant/ 

December 4, 2018. Wyalusing Township Supervisors approved two zoning permits, allowing 15 structures to exceed 60 feet in height and allowing a gas processing plant in an agricultural residential (A/R) district as a conditional use.  https://www.rocket-courier.com/articles/wyalusing-twp-supervisors-approve-800m-lng-plant/ 

December 2020.  Zoning permits of November 2018 expire after two years of non-use.  https://dced.pa.gov/?s=conditional+use
SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS, CONDITIONAL USES AND VARIANCES PLANNING SERIES #7, Ninth Edition | August 2014, last updated, May 29, 2020. 

January 25, 2019. New Fortress Energy, LLC filed prospectus with SEC, outlining the project.  https://ir.newfortressenergy.com/static-files/1d7c6ac6-472e-49df-a274-9b0e16189b39

July 3, 2019. DEP issues Water Obstruction & Encroachment Permit. https://www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eFACTSWeb/searchResults_singleAuth.aspx?AuthID=1254945

July 24, 2019. DEP issues air permit 08-00058A. https://www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eFACTSWeb/searchResults_singleAuth.aspx?AuthID=1255306 

August 2019.  Press reports that $150M has been invested in Wyalusing LNG project and that site preparation is underway:
https://www.rocket-courier.com/articles/150m-invested-in-wyalusing-lng-project/   
https://www.rocket-courier.com/articles/site-preparation-underway-at-lng-plant/ 

November 1, 2019.  At a Rural Energy Roundtable in Laceyville event, organized by Bradford County Commissioner Doug McLinko, federal officials provided assurance that rail shipments from the LNG plant would be allowed to take place.  https://www.rocket-courier.com/articles/energy-roundtable-held-in-laceyville/ 

November 9, 2019. Concerned local residents gathered to protest the construction of the LNG plant for its damage to the Friedenshutten historical site, as well as safety risks and environmental harms related to increased fracking. https://www.rocket-courier.com/articles/fracktivists-descend-on-wyalusing/ 

Please go to the web page, Long and Winding Route for additional events related to a Special Rail Permit to ship LNG by rail.  

December 5, 2019.  PHMSA issues a Special Permit to a subsidiary of BCREP/NFE to ship LNG by rail to Gibbstown, NJ. https://www.rocket-courier.com/articles/permit-received-to-ship-lng-by-rail/ 

July 22, 2020.  Press reports work at the site having been paused.  https://www.rocket-courier.com/articles/work-paused-on-new-fortress-project/ 

September 15, 2020. DEP extends permit 08-00058A. https://www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eFACTSWeb/searchResults_singleAuth.aspx?AuthID=1326328 

September 18, 2020. BCREP engages with FERC. Docket CP20-524-000 https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/search 

March 12, 2021. U.S. Department of Energy, office of Fossil Energy (DOE/FE), Order 4670, grants Bradford County LNG Marketing long-term authorization to export LNG to free trade agreement nations.
https://www.energy.gov/fe/downloads/bradford-county-lng-marketing-llc-fe-dkt-no-20-131-lng
https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2020/11/f80/20-131-LNG.pdf

July 22,2021. DEP extends permit 08-00058A. https://www.ahs.dep.pa.gov/eFACTSWeb/searchResults_singleAuth.aspx?AuthID=1357549 

August 26, 2021. Three environmental groups appealed to the Environmental Hearing Board DEP’s extension of the air permit.  https://www.rocket-courier.com/articles/groups-appeal-new-fortress-energys-permit/ 

December 22, 2021.  Press reports on several factors delaying the NFE plant.  https://www.rocket-courier.com/articles/several-factors-delaying-new-fortress-lng-plant/     

March 18, 2022.  Under a settlement among parties at the Environmental Hearing Board, New Fortress Energy agreed to allow its air emissions permit from DEP to lapse.  
https://ehb.courtapps.com/efile/documentViewer.php?documentID=55663
https://delawarecurrents.org/2022/03/25/dc-gibbstown-air-permit/

Sept. 07, 2022. Supervisor Marvin Meteer said he has not heard anything recently from New Fortress Energy on its plans to clean up the residential properties it owns along the north side of Route 6, opposite the site where the company’s proposed LNG plant would be constructed. https://www.rocket-courier.com/articles/wyalusing-twp-might-impose-a-tax-increase/

Sept. 9, 2022. The Delaware River Basin Commission — the governors of the four basin states plus a federal government representative — approved a resolution that extended a permit to build a dock on the Delaware River at Gibbstown until June 2025.  https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2022/09/developers-three-year-extension-building-liquified-natural-gas-lng-terminal-gibbstown-delaware-river-basin-commission-vote/

Sept. 15, 2023. An Bord Pleanála has refused planning permission for the construction of a €650 million liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on Shannon estuary near Ballylongford, Co Kerry… Shannon LNG, backed by US multinational New Fortress, sought 10-year permission for the facility including floating storage and regasification with onshore receiving facilities on 52 hectare site adjoining the estuary, including a 600MW power station fuelled by LNG.
https://www.irishtimes.com/environment/2023/09/15/planning-board-refuses-permission-for-650m-shannon-lng-terminal/
http://www.safetybeforelng.ie/pressreleases/pressrelease20230915-Shannon-LNG-Refused-Planning-Permission.html

Jan. 3, 2024. Bradford County Commissioners Adopt Solar Farm Regs.
The regulations govern the development of both utility-scale solar energy farms, which are typically hundreds of acres in size, and community-scale solar farms, which are typically 20 to 40 acres.
The regulations are in the form of an amendment to the county’s Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO).
https://www.rocket-courier.com/pageview/viewer/2024-01-04#page=12

January 2024. Biden Administration pauses new Department of Energy export authorizations to non-free-trade-agreement countries.  
The pause could impact plans of New Fortress Energy.  
https://www.rocket-courier.com/pageview/viewer/2024-02-01#page=0

On February 28, 2024, Ohio US Senator Sherrod Brown and Oregon US Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the Protecting American Households from Rising Energy Costs Act, legislation that would ban the export of crude oil or liquefied natural gas (LNG) to our biggest adversaries: China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
https://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/2024/03/us-senators-introduce-bill-to-ban-us.html

On April 18, 2024, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Washington D.C., published the following issuance:

Docket(s): CP20-524-000
Description: Letter requesting Bradford County Real Estate Partners LLC to file a response to the Data Request within 15 days to assist in FERC's analysis of the petition for declaratory order re the Wyalusing Facility under CP20-524.
https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?accession_num=20240418-3017

Docket(s): CP20-522-000
Description: Letter requesting Delaware River Partners LLC to file a response to the data request within 15 days to assist in FERC's analysis of the petition for declaratory order filed under CP20-522.
https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?accession_num=20240418-3028

On May 3, 2024, NFE entities replied to FERC’s data request.

Docket Number CP20-524-000

Response: As described in the Petition, “LNG loading bays at the Facility will load product to ISO-tanker trucks” and LNG may be delivered from the Facility “to local or regional customers by truck.” 3 Therefore, the design of the Facility accounts for non-pipeline modes of transportation that are unimpacted by PHMSA’s suspension of authorizations for transportation of LNG in rank tank cars. BCREP is continuing to pursue the development of the Facility accordingly.

https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?accession_num=20240503-5050

Docket number CP-20-522-000

Response: DRP’s Petition,3 as well as its October 30, 20204 and May 6, 2022 Answers,5 describe that the design of the Proposed Facilities at the Gibbstown Facility would provide capability for transloading of LNG received via both rail and non-rail modes of transportation, i.e., various modes of delivery by truck. The potential non-rail modes of transportation are not affected by PHMSA’s suspension of its authorization for LNG transportation in rail tank cars. Accordingly, despite PHMSA’s suspension, the Proposed Facilities and LNG transloading operations that are the subject of DRP’s Petition remain under consideration by DRP. DRP therefore intends to await the requested order from the Commission before determining whether to construct the Proposed Facilities and to undertake LNG transloading operations at the Gibbstown Facility.

https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?accession_num=20240503-5199