June 29 (Reuters) - U.S. federal energy regulators have told Energy Transfer Partners LP ETP.N to finish restoring the land around parts of its Rover natural gas pipeline in Ohio and Michigan before allowing the company to put more segments in service.
The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said in a filing on Thursday that its review of future in-service requests "will depend, in part, on a demonstration of Rover's commitment to satisfactory restoration of construction areas and workspaces."
FERC said it authorized ETP to put Rover's Vector delivery meter station in Michigan, Defiance compressor station in Ohio and Market Segment between Ohio and Michigan into service on May 1 even though the company had not completed restoration of the grounds around those facilities.
FERC said it made those approvals with the expectation that ETP would complete restoration and rehabilitation activities. But FERC said it believes Rover will be unable to meet its commitments by the agreed upon deadline of June 30.
The commitments include completion of final grading, reseeding, restoration to stream banks, repair of erosion control devices and restoration of subsidence.
ETP informed FERC on Tuesday that it intends to extend restoration activities until at least July 30.
FERC said it wants Rover to take "prompt and immediate action to address these outstanding restoration commitments."
The company must file, prior to July 9, a detailed account of why it believes it will not be able to complete these activities within the agreed time frame.
Rover must also explain how it intends to communicate this delay to affected landowners and to inform landowners of when they can reasonably expect the company to complete the outstanding restoration issues.
Major producers that have signed up to use Rover include units of privately held Ascent Resources, Antero Resources Corp AR.N , Range Resources Corp (NYSE:RRC) RRC.N , Southwestern Energy Co SWN.N , Eclipse Resources Corp ECR.N and EQT Corp (NYSE:EQT) EQT.N .
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ETP seeks U.S. approval to start Rover natgas pipe by May 31
FACTBOX-U.S. new natural gas pipeline projects