Environment & Safety
The Natural Gas Industry and the Environment
Natural gas is a clean-burning fuel; its combustion emits fewer pollutants into the atmosphere than other fossil fuels. As the cleanest of the fossil fuels, natural gas can be used in many ways to help reduce the emissions of harmful pollutants into the atmosphere.| Fossil Fuel Emission Levels Pounds per Billion Btu of Energy Input |
|||
| Pollutant | Natural Gas | Oil | Coal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon Dioxide | 117,000 | 164,000 | 208,000 |
| Carbon Monoxide | 40 | 33 | 208 |
| Nitrogen Oxides | 92 | 448 | 457 |
| Sulfur Dioxide | 1 | 1,122 | 2,591 |
| Particulates | 7 | 84 | 2,744 |
| Mercury | 0.000 | 0.007 | 0.016 |
| Source: EIA - Natural Gas Issues and Trends 1998 | |||
There are currently ten natural gas storage fields operating in California. Six of the ten projects are in depleted gas reservoirs. Gas storage in a depleted reservoir, like the Central Valley Gas Storage facility, mimics nature's way of safely storing gas for millions of years. Central Valley will be built to meet or exceed all regulatory and modern industrial safety standards employing the latest technologies and engineering.
Natural gas storage is a regulated business that is required to maintain strict safety and environmental controls. Central Valley will work closely with governmental authorities as it constructs the storage facility and pipeline. It also will construct and operate the proposed facility in a manner consistent with all applicable safety regulations and industry best practices.
Construction and operation of Central Valley Gas Storage will have minimal impacts on the environment and on nearby landowners. The storage facility and pipeline corridor are located in previously farmed land with widely scattered rural residences and agricultural operations. The proposed project pipeline route takes care to avoid environmentally sensitive wildlife areas.
The California Public Utility Commission prepared a Final Mitigated Negative Declaration (Final MND) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for consideration of the Central Valley Gas Storage Project showing that the proposed Project, as mitigated, would not have any significant effects on the environment.
View the Final MND »
