Feds Warn of "Serious Harm" Without Compressor Fixes

"I find that continued operation of the Station without corrective measures is or would be hazardous to life, property, or the environment, and that failure to issue this Order expeditiously would result in the likelihood of serious harm," PHMSA Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety Alan Mayberry wrote in the corrective action order.

On Sept. 11, crews at the site manually triggered the emergency shutdown system following a gasket failure, releasing 169,000 cubic feet of natural gas into the air, according to the pipeline agency's summary.

The station's emergency shutdown system then automatically triggered on Wednesday for reasons that Enbridge is still investigating. PHMSA said the second incident released approximately 275,000 cubic feet of natural gas.

Enbridge is required to notify authorities of any unplanned natural gas release exceeding 10,000 cubic feet.

While neither shutdown caused any injuries or fatalities, Mayberry wrote in his order that "the release of large quantities of pressurized natural gas in a heavily populated area carries a substantial risk of fire, explosion, and personal injury or death and releases harmful methane into the environment."

Enbridge announced Thursday morning that it would pause operations at the station following the two incidents.

"Following the activation of the Emergency Shutdown (ESD) System at the Weymouth Compressor Station on September 30, 2020, we have decided to temporarily pause the commencement of operations of the station to ensure we can complete a thorough review and be certain the facility is fully ready for service before proceeding," spokesperson Max Bergeron wrote in an email. "Safety will always be our top priority."

The company will not be authorized to start the facility up again without the approval of a chief regulator at PHSMA.

To secure that, Enbridge and its subsidiary Algonquin Gas Transmission must develop a "restart plan" outlining safety updates and must submit a full analysis of the root causes behind both emergencies, according to the corrective action order.

The compressor station had been on the verge of starting service after clearing every regulatory hurdle. On Sept. 24 -- in between the two shutdowns -- the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved Enbridge's request to launch operations by Oct. 1 and ship natural gas through the compressor to Maine and Canada.

Gov. Charlie Baker, whose administration issued all the necessary permits for the compressor amid significant opposition from community groups and lawmakers, said Thursday that he agrees with the forced pause.

"Until these issues are completely and thoroughly investigated and signed off on by the feds, it shouldn't open," Baker said at a press conference about the Green Line Extension project. "My understanding is the feds made an unqualified statement earlier today saying just that, which we agree with."

Baker for years has resisted calls to join the many communities opposed to the project, saying the state was complying with its permitting reviews and that the project was largely regulated at the federal level.

The project has been controversial for years, and the two shutdowns prompted a new round of vocal criticism.

U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey asked Enbridge to pause operations after the first shutdown, while state lawmakers representing Weymouth and the Fore River area appealed to Attorney General Maura Healey for help.

Congressman Stephen Lynch plans to conduct a walk-through of the station this week and asked PHMSA to join him.

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10/01/2020