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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAppendix F(1) - DPU 15972 So Yarmouth Zoning Exemption (Jan 15 1969)form UM 03. 80A4-�4-67.995pS2 Cj;4j� Tontationwra t4 jot Aaasar4aatts rs = s DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITIES a J•anuary..1,.5.r..I.c9.6.y..... . ......................... D.P.U. 15972 Petition of the Buzzards Bay Gas Company pursuant to the provisions of section 10 of Chapter 4OA and section 105A of Chapter 164 of the General Laws for a determination by the Department that it is reason- ably necessary for the convenience and welfare of the public that a certain parcel of .land located by White's Path, owned by said Buzzards Bay Gas Company in the town of Yarmouth, and more specifically the facilities to be constructed thereon and therein, including a liquefied natural. gas (LNG) container, be exempt from the operation of the zoning by laws of the town of Yarr?outh. The petitioner further seeks a de- termination by the Department that said LNG facilities proposed to be erected thereon and, therein are wholly proper and appropriate and that said proposed structures and land are to be used in connection with the petitioner's business of transmission, distribution, manufacture and modification of gas Appearances° George I. Mulhern, (Palmer, dodge, Gardner and Bradford), 53 State Street, Boston? for the Petitioner. The Buzzards Day Gas Company filed a petition with the Department on September 26, 1968, requesting: (a) Under the provisions of section 10 of Chapter 40A of the General. Laws, a determination that the proposed situation of a parcel of land on the southerly side of 11hite's Path, approximately 3500 feet easterly of its intersection with Station Avenue and the Liquid Natural Gas Facilities (LNG) and related facilities to be con- structed thereon and therein are reasonably necessary for the public convenience and welfare and that said land, structures and eras facili- ties be exempted from the zoning by laws of the town of Yarmouth 2. (b) Under the provisions of section 105A of Chapter 164 of said General Laws, approval of tie manner in which and the pres- sures at which eras will be stored, transported and distributed in connection with the proposed L11,TG plant (c) Under the provisions of paragraph 3 of the Department's order D.P.U. 11725--C dated February 15, 1967, an exemption from sec- tion. 864.361(b) of said order to allow a minimum distance to property line of not less than 300 feet. The petitioner is a gas company as defined by Chapter 1.64 of the General Laws and is a public service corporation providing gas service to the town of Yarmouth and several other towns in the Cape Cod area. on the above natter a public hearing was held. at the State office Building at 100 Cambridge Street, roston, Massachusetts, on November 18, 1968, at which time all parties in.interest were given an opportunity to be heard and no one appeared in opposition. The Buzzards Bay Gas Company is principally supplied by the .Algonquin Gas Transmission Company at two locations in Bourne- one designated as the Bourne station, the other, the Sagamore station. In addition, peak shaving propane plants are located at Chatham, Hyannis and. the Cataumet section of Bourne. The peak shaving capabilities of the Cataumet plant are 3,000 P1CF per day, the Hyannis plant, 1,500 MCF and the Chatham plant 1,000 mCF providing a combined peak shaving capability of 5,500 MCP per day. The 1967.-1968 peak day send -out was 20,776 PRCF and it is estimated that by the 1977-1978 season, the peak day will be 35,000 MCF. Customer growth this year has been far beyond company expecta- tions in the house heating category where 1,400 additional customers 3. were added. In addition, Otis Air Force Base has requested a supply of gas on a firm basis and their demand is estirtatec? at 480 MCP per day. Testimony presented at the hearing indicated that the Algonquin Gas Transmission Company is unable to supply additional firm or winter service gas. Penalty gas is available. However, it is expensive and would create an economic burden on the company which could also have an adverse effect on the rate schedule. Growth on the Cape has been concentrated in the Barnstable - Yarmouth -Dennis area, being principally in Yarmouth.. Building con- struction still continues very heavy in this area and the proposed site was selected because of its strategic location at the system. load center, it§proximity to the petitioner's main feeder line and acces- sibility to the Enid -Cape highway. Engineering studies have determined that the additional peaking capacity necessary to meet the ever-increasing loads can best be provided by the introduction of an LN.G storage and production facility at or near the load center. The proposed site is comprised of 29 acres of wooded un- developed lard located about 200 feet off White's path and northerly of, but contiguous to, The New York, New 11aven and Hartford Railroad Company right of way. The nearest existing building north of the rail- road right of way is 1,000 feet from the site; southwesterly of this right of way there is a residence 300 feet from the petitioner's propert: line. In 1962 this property and the abutting property were zoned for industry or commercial development and the site presently is in an in- dustrial zone under the zoning by laws of the town of Yarmouth but the use of the land for the purposes alleged_ is not permitted by said by law. 4. Initially, the company proposes to install a single 63,000 gallon liquefied natural gas storage tank and vaporizer on the site. This facility will be comp;ised of an inner tank of 3/847 stainless steel 101-10" in diameter and 90'-6'* in length with 12" of Perlite insulation between the inner and outer vessel. The outer tank will be made of 3/8" steel with an over all diameter of 13' and an overall length of 92'-6" and there will be a vacuum of 50 microns between the inner and outer vessels. The tank will be surrounded by a diked area 98' x 138'.. An earthen dire two feet in height will surround the area. The reservoir will be generally three feet in depth with the sides having a three to one slope and slightly pitched to one end. Provision will be made for the installation of a second similar tank when required and the tanks will be symmetrically located, separated by a dike within this area. The tanks will be supported by cryogenic concrete bunkers one foot by eight feet and approximately eight feet in height. The second tank will be installed within two years. Four 30,000 XAC'F per hour ambient vaporizers will be located between the two tanks. They will be eight and one half feet by seven and one half feet and ten and one half feet in height each and mounted on concrete piers. Fire protection for this installation will be provided by two 2,000 pound dry chemical assemblies, one on either side of the diked area. In close proximity to the chemical containers will be installed ultra- violet flame detectors so located as to monitor the diked area in event of a flame. These detectors will send signals via telephone circuits to the company's control center and the local fire department. 5. Both locations are manned at all times. In addition, in the area in front of the tank, where all the controls and loading facilities are located, a thirty pound dry chemical cylinder will be installed. This installation will operate automatically in the event of a fire at this location. Facilities will be provided for fare control outside the diked area by conventional fire hydrants connected to the town system. A ranch type control building will be erected on the side one hundred ten feet beyond the diked area. It will be twenty-two feet by forty feet and approximately sixteen feet in height, constructed of concrete blocks. The roof will be made of fire proof material and designed to lift in the event of an explosion. it will house heat ex- changers, orifice meters, control valves, boiler and related apparatus. The boiler will be housed in a section of this building isolated from the control room by a solid fire wall. The station will be normally unattended; however, it will be under supervisory control at all times from the company's Hyannis or Catauzmet control center. The control building will be surrounded by a chain link fence entirely independent of the fence enclosing the diked area. All trees and underbrush will be cleared and kept cleared for at least one hundred feet beyond the perimeter of the diked area. All remaining trees will be retained to provide a screen to abutting property. Liquefied natural gas will be brought in by truck and stored in these tanks for use on peak days. 11hen required, the ambient vaporizers will convert the l.iquefi.ed gas to a vapor at the proper temperature and pressure and it will enter the company's ten inch AF high pressure main on 11hite°s Path via a new eight inch gas main. About 1975, the company proposes to install an LNC proces- sing plant and concrete storage container on this site. When completed, this will replace the existing storage facilities and all existing equipment except the control building will be removed. This installation will consist of a 50,000 barrel or 185,000 MCF insulated and Lined concrete storage vessel. It will be approx- imately fifty-eight feet in height with base recessed in ground ap- proximately ten feet and the top of the dozre will be forty-eight feet above the surrounding terrain. The storage vessel will be surrounded by an earthen berm approximately thirty feet in height leaving only the dome visible above this man-made hill. The tank will be ninety- seven feet in diameter and located approximately one hundred feet to the east of the original storage tanks. The company proposes to use the Cascade Liquefaction process for refrigeration of the natural gas. The equipment consists of com- pressors, heat exchangers, storage vessels for the propane and ethylene used in the liquefaction process. The main building will be of Colonial design, T-shaped, with the short section being thirty feet by forty feet by eighteen feet in height and the main section forty feet by ninety feet by twenty-four feet in height. All. LNG controls will be located in the short section and eventually the entire system will be controlled from this location. The main section will house the compressors and auxiliary equipment. Located directly behind and to the east of the main section will be the cold box, cooling tower, heat exchangers, propane and ethylene storage tanks. The cold box will be ten feet by ten feet and twenty-six feet in height, extending slightly 7. above the roof of the main buildina. The propane and ethylene tanks will have a capacity of 9,000 gallons each. The propane tank will be installed horizontally and will be seven feet in diameter and twenty- eight feet in length. The ethylene tank will be installed vertically and will be twelve feet in diameter and twenty-two feet in height and will be insulated. The flare stack will be located northeasterly of the main building and will be fifty"three f-et in height. There will be three vaporizers of 40,000 MGF capacity, each having a discharge pressure of 200 psiq and having an over all length of twenty-four feet, a width of eight feet six inches and a height of thirteen feet with the stacks extending three feet above the tanks and will be located between the main building and the storage tank. Receiving and shipping facilities for LNG will be provided for both the initial and final installations and will be located out- side the diked area. The original fire fighting equipment and protective devices will be relocated to properly protect the new equipment and in addition a new thirty pound automatic dry chemical system will be installed in the control house with total flood nozzles. The petitioner has agreed to establish a periodic maintenance program to ensure satisfactory operating condition of all fire protective devices. Although the plant will be fully automated with supervisory control, there will be an operator on duty at the plant at all times. The site will be landscaped and posted to prevent hunting and the entrance will be provided with a locked gate to prevent access by unauthorized persons. El The installation of liquefaction and storage facilities at this location will provide the entire Cape area with an independent source of supply capable of sustaining the entire company system load for an entire week during the peak season and., in addition, it will provide the company with adequate natural gas peak shaving facilities for the foreseeable future. The use of naturalgas for peak shaving purposes will reduce or eliminate the many service problems associated with the use of liquid propane gas. After notice, public hearing, investigation and considera- tion, the Department hereby DECIDES that the situation of the parcel of land in question and the proposed facilities for the liquefaction, storage and regasi-- fication of natural gas and the related structures proposed to be con- structed or installed thereon by the Buzzards Bay Gas Company are reasonably necessary for the convenience and welfare of the public pro- vided there is compliance with the provisions of the order. Accordingly, it is 09DERED: That the parcel of land in the town of Yarmouth, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, located off the southerly side of White's Path, approximately thirty --five hundred feet easterly of its intersection with Station Avenue in said town, substantially as shown on a plan on file with the petition entitled "Plan of Land in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts, Belonging to Buzzards Bay Gas Company Naming Abutters of Record and Showing LNG Facility Location Date 11/9/68 Scale 1 in. = 100 ft." and further identified as Exhibit 3 at the hearing, but more fully bounded and described as follows! 9. EASTERLY by White's Path, a public way, Forty-five and 11/1004hs (45.11) Feet; SOUTHEASTERLY by Lot 5 as shown on Plan hereinafter mention- ed, Four Hundred Finety-two and 1.8/100ths (492.18) feet; NORTHEASTERLY by said Lot 5, Four Hundred Fifty-three and 96/100ths (453.96) feet. NORTHEASTERLY by land of Fen -Mac Fealty Trust Six Hun- dred Ninety --eight and 16/100ths (698.16) feet. NORTHEASTERLY by land of Thomas F. Kelley, One Hundred Ninety-seven and 78/100ths (197.78) feet; SOUTHEASTERLY by land of Xen-Mac Realty Trust, Five Hun- dred Ninety-three and 69/100ths (593.69) feet; NORTHEASTERLY again by said land of Ken -Mac Realty Trust Two Hundred Twenty-seven and 57/100ths (227.57) feet; NORTMIESTERLY again by said land of Ken --.Sac Realty Trust Six Hundred Two and 71/1.00ths (602.71) feet; EASTERLY by White's Path, a public way, One Hundred Seventeen and 58/100ths (117.58); SOUTHEASTERLY by Lot 7, as shown on plan herein mentioned, Nine Hundred Twenty-four and 72/100ths (924.72) feet. - SOUTHWESTERLY by land of the Trustees of The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad Company, One Thousand Seven Hundred Forty-seven and 4/100ths (1,747.04) feet; and NORTHWESTERLY by Land of Alice S. Davis One Thousand Two Hundred Forty-eight and 59/100ths (1,248.59) feet, and containing twenty-nine acres more or less and the liquefied natural gas processing, storage facilities and regasification equipment and related structures to be installed thereon and therein be and hereby are exempted from the operation of the zoning by law of the town of Yarmouth under theprovisions of section 10 of Chapter 40A of the General Laws of Massachusetts to the extent that they may be used for 10. or in connection with the processing, transportation, liquefaction and regasification and storage of natural gas, subject, however, to the following restrictions and conditions. A. That the proposed facilities shall be constructed in accordance with all the requirements of Section 21 of Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities order 11725-C of February 15, 1967, except that the minimum clear distance from the edge of any container shall be not less than three hundred feet to the nearest property line. B. That fare protection equipment shall be satisfactory to the Department. C. That gas leakage detection devices shall be satis- factory to the Department. D. That the site shall be suitably landscaped in a manner to be approved by the Department and that a tree belt around the perimeter of the property be maintained. E. The emission of contaminants from the exhaust stacks shall not exceed 5 ppm of the following: Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Ethylene (CH 2CH2) and Aldehydes (HCHO & CHO). The ambient air at the property line shall not contain more than the following quantities of contaminants! Contaminants Sulphur dioxide (SO2) Ethylene (CH 2CH2) Air Quality Criteria Emission Limita- tions 0.22 ppm 1 grain/sec. 0.1 ppm 0.5 gram/sec. . Aldehydes 0.22 ppm 1.25 gram./sec. (CHO ) as formaldehydes (HCHO) 11. F. Notice in writing shall be given to the Chief Engineer of the Department not less than forty-eight Flours before the start of construction or installation of the first container and related fa- cilities, the second container and related facilities and the lique- faction plant, auxiliary equipment and storage vessels, and no change in the design, size or location of the proposed storage and processing facilities shall be made without the approval of the Departments G. The total storage of liquefied natural gas at no time shall exceed 50,000 barrels or 185,000 MCP except to the extent author- ized by the Department after notice and hearing. H. The total storage of liquid propane and ethylene shall not exceed 9,000 gallons in each tank except to the extent authorized by the Department. I. Sound levels at the petitioners property line shall not exceed 65 dB on the A weighted scale (as prescribed by the USA Standards Institute) at any time. The Department may, however, modify the sound levels from time to time. And it is FURTHER ORDERED, That the Department FINDS that the manner in which and the pressure at which gas is to be transported and dis- tributed to and from and processed and stored at the proposed liquefied natural gas processing and storage facility, are proper and appropriate in the circumstances and are hereby approved. By order of t?-,e Department, (signed) FRANCIS J. HICKEY, Jr. Secretary A true copy Attes i 12. Appeal as to matters of law from any final decision, order or ruling o6f the commission may be taken to the Supreme Judicial Court by an aggrieved party in interest by the filing of a written petition pray- ing that the order of the Commission be modified or set aside in whole or in part. Such petition for appeal shall be filed with the secretary of the com- mission within twenty days after the date of the decision, order or ruling of the commission or within such further time as the commission may allow upon request filed prior to the expiration of the twenty days after said decision, order or ruling. (Sec. S, Chap. 25, G.L. Ter. Ed.) .