Fate of Another Pipeline in Biden Administration’s Hands

While there’s been a lot of press about the potential shutdown of a pipeline delivering fossil fuels to the Great Lakes region, another pipeline serving Missouri is also at risk. And the Biden Administration has the power to shut this one down as well.

The STL Pipeline – which delivers natural gas from Illinois to the St. Louis area – was the subject of a lawsuit by environmentalists. That lawsuit overturned the pipeline’s Trump-era approval. Its very existence now rests with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which granted the pipeline an emergency authorization to operate until at least December 13.

The future of the STL pipeline is expected to be decided at a FERC meeting on November 18.

Pipeline owner Spire warned that 400,000 customers could be affected by shortages if the pipeline is shut down. Help from another pipeline might only provide a little over half of what the current pipeline provides.

Project 21 Co-Chairman Stacy Washington, a resident of the St. Louis area, condemned the possibility that the region could be on the verge of losing affordable, reliable power with winter coming:

It’s unbelievable to me that – despite a conservative state legislature and living nowhere near California – my home’s power needs are subject to the whims of liberals who are beholden to special interests and not my family or the families of the over 5 million residents of the Show-Me State.

This winter or next, children, grannies and grandpas could be subject to rolling blackouts or without power altogether.

Thanks for nothing, President Biden.



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