Cochran, Wicker Weigh in Again on Pipeline Abandonment

WASHINGTON (Press Release) — U.S. Senators Thad Cochran, R-Miss., and Roger Wicker, R-Miss., have sent a new letter to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Chairman Cheryl LaFleur calling on the agency to provide sufficient time for Mississippians and others to consider a proposal by American Midstream Partners, LLC, to abandon the American Midstream Pipeline (Midla).

“We are concerned that the abandonment proposal could cause a significant increase in utility bills for Midla customers, many of whom have no alternate source of natural gas,” the Senators wrote. “The pipeline serves local distribution companies, manufacturers, and municipal gas systems that rely on it for affordable energy.”

Midla is an interstate natural gas pipeline running from the Monroe Gas Field in Louisiana to Baton Rouge that serves customers in Louisiana and Mississippi. It is subject to FERC regulation. The application from American Midstream Partners proposes an expedited process with a 10-day deadline for intervention and requests that a technical conference be held within 15 days of the application’s posting.

“Midla’s application proposes an expedited process for FERC consideration, which we find troubling,” the letter continued. “FERC (should) allow no less than 30 days for interested parties to intervene and any technical conference occur no sooner than 30 days following the application’s posting.”

In February, Sens. Cochran and Wicker sent a similar letter to the agency expressing their concern about the Boston-based company’s plans to abandon the pipeline.