Subject: ferc approves sempra ' s north baja pipeline
ferc approves north baja pipe
the federal energy regulatory commission wednesday voted to approve the proposed north baja pipeline which will deliver 500 mmcf / d of natural gas from a connection with el paso natural gas near ehrenberg , az , to gas distribution systems and new power plants in northern mexico and southern california .
the u . s . line , which is being built by pg & e corp . ' s national energy group , would extend 80 miles to border - crossing facilities near yuma , az . it is expected to cost about $ 146 million . the mexican government already has issued a transportation permit to sempra energy international to build the 135 - mile mexican portion , gasoducto baja norte , to mexicali , baja california .
ferc ' s approval came after the ferc staff , and the staffs of the california state lands commission and the interior department ' s bureau of land management issued a favorable final environmental impact statement . the commission already had issued a preliminary determination , approving all non - environmental aspects of the project .
if the project " is constructed as modified and in accordance with [ north baja ' s ] proposed mitigation and our recommendations , it would be an environmentally acceptable action , " the staffs of the three agencies concluded in the final environmental impact statement ( feis ) on the pipeline ( cpol - 22 ) .
the pipeline could be delivering gas to the first of two new power plants in mexicali as early as mid - summer . work has been underway for some time on the longer , mexican portion of the line which runs from yuma , az , near the mexican border to the rosarito beach area south of tijuana in the northwest corner of baja .