Byhalia Pipeline

Last updated
Byhalia Pipeline
Location
Memphis, Tennessee
Resulted inPipeline project cancellation

The Byhalia Pipeline, also referred to as the Byhalia Connection Pipeline, was a proposed 49-mile crude oil pipeline project in Memphis, Tennessee. Proposed by two companies, Plains All American Pipeline and Valero Energy, [1] it was canceled in July 2021 after months of activism and resistance from organizations including Memphis Community Against the Pipeline (MCAP), Protect Our Aquifer, the Memphis and Mid-South Chapter of The Climate Reality Project, and other partnered organizations. [2] Opposition to the pipeline was based primarily around impact concerns for the Memphis drinking water aquifer below the intended pipeline location that supplies drinking water to approximately 1 million people. [3] Plans for the Byhalia Connection pipeline project were called off after a statement from Plains All American Pipeline director of communications that the project was no longer being pursued "primarily due to lower U.S. oil production resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic". [4]

Contents

Pipeline project

The Byhalia Connection project was intended to connect two existing crude oil pipelines, the Diamond Pipeline based in Memphis, Tennessee and the Capline Pipeline connecting central Illinois and the U.S. Gulf Coast. [5] Byhalia Pipeline, LLC, a joint venture between Valero and Plains All American, stated that through the connection, the company would be able to transport barrels from regions that produce crude oil in Texas and Oklahoma to areas further west, north, and to the U.S. Gulf Coast where it is needed by oil refineries. [5] The companies asserted that the pipeline would be "strengthening the region's economic vitality and America's energy independence", while the officer director of the Southern Environmental Law Center stated the citizens would "bear a lot of risk and almost no benefits". [6]

Additionally, the proposed pipeline would have crossed over the Memphis Sand Aquifer. This aquifer supplies clean drinking water to Memphis and Shelby county, the largest metropolitan center that is exclusively supplied by groundwater. [7] Because crude oil is known to contain carcinogens, all Memphis' citizens would have suffered if this pipeline spilled or leaked into the already vulnerable aquifer. Experts suggest that 25 million gallons of groundwater can be contaminated by only one pound of crude oil. [1] The protection of the aquifer and the injustices surrounding the pipeline construction sparked much activism and resistance.

Activism and resistance

Local activism was led by a grassroots organization, Memphis Community Against the Pipeline (MCAP), co-founded by Justin J. Pearson, Kizzy Jones, and Kathy Robinson, [8] [9] and Protect our Aquifer, founded by Ward Archer. [10] National awareness was raised through the Memphis and Mid-South Chapter of The Climate Reality Project co-founded by Duffy-Marie Arnoult and Vance LaVelle with a local appearance from Climate Reality founder Al Gore in the historically black Boxtown neighborhood in Memphis, Tennessee. [2] [11] These efforts led to a variety of celebrities and public figures speaking out against the pipeline including Danny Glover, Giancarlo Esposito, Jane Fonda and others. [12]

In early 2021, a spokesperson for Byhalia Pipeline, LLC stated that the planned route was decided as it was "the path of least resistance". This statement was considered a gaffe, in the way that it appeared to refer to the historic black neighborhood of Boxtown through which the pipeline would be constructed. [13] [14] Rev. Dr. William Barber II, co-chairman of the national Poor People's Campaign made a public appearance at a Memphis rally following "the path of least resistance" statement, which became a main theme of his speech. [15] [16] [17]

A lawsuit was filed by Memphis Community Against Pollution Inc., Protect our Aquifer, and the Sierra Club against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the subject of the Byhalia Pipeline, contesting that the Corps of Engineers approved filing of Nationwide Permit 12 needed for the Byhalia Pipeline ignored potential environmental consequences of contamination to rivers, the Memphis Sand Aquifer, and the drinking water of the local population of approximately 1 million residents. [18] Congressman Steve Cohen and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez led in a letter alongside 26 congress members requesting that the Biden administration reconsider the Army Corps of Engineers Nationwide Permit 12 filed for the Byhalia Pipeline. [19]

While activists sought intervention from the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT), Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, stated that the USDOT could only regulate the pipeline once it is in the ground and would not halt the project prior to it being placed in service. [20]

During the period of opposition, the Memphis City Council proposed an ordinance to require the approval by the city council for the underground storage or transportation of hazardous materials. [21]

Project cancellation

The cancellation of the project was announced on July 2, 2021, by Byhalia Connection, LLC through its director of communications, who also stated "Pipelines continue to play a critical role in safely transporting energy products from where energy is produced to where it is refined and turned into consumer goods that benefit our lives. As part of any shift to lower carbon energy, hydrocarbons will continue to be a critical part of meeting increasing global need for affordable, reliable energy. Access to all forms of energy improves quality of life, education and economic opportunity for individuals and communities throughout North America and across the globe". [15]

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris stated that "The cancellation of the construction of the Byhalia Connection Pipeline is great news for the community that has fought tooth and nail for this result." [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Memphis, Tennessee</span> City in Tennessee, United States

Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat of Shelby County, in the southwesternmost part of the state, and is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-most populous city in Tennessee after Nashville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pipeline</span> Pumping fluids or gas through pipes

A pipeline is a system of pipes for long-distance transportation of a liquid or gas, typically to a market area for consumption. The latest data from 2014 gives a total of slightly less than 2,175,000 miles (3,500,000 km) of pipeline in 120 countries around the world. The United States had 65%, Russia had 8%, and Canada had 3%, thus 76% of all pipeline were in these three countries. The main attribute to pollution from pipelines is caused by corrosion and leakage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ogallala Aquifer</span> Water table aquifer beneath the Great Plains in the United States

The Ogallala Aquifer is a shallow water table aquifer surrounded by sand, silt, clay, and gravel located beneath the Great Plains in the United States. As one of the world's largest aquifers, it underlies an area of approximately 174,000 sq mi (450,000 km2) in portions of eight states. It was named in 1898 by geologist N. H. Darton from its type locality near the town of Ogallala, Nebraska. The aquifer is part of the High Plains Aquifer System, and resides in the Ogallala Formation, which is the principal geologic unit underlying 80% of the High Plains.

Enbridge Inc. is a multinational pipeline and energy company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Enbridge owns and operates pipelines throughout Canada and the United States, transporting crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids, and also generates renewable energy. Enbridge's pipeline system is the longest in North America and the largest oil export pipeline network in the world. Its crude oil system consists of 28,661 kilometres of pipelines. Its 38,300 kilometre natural gas pipeline system connects multiple Canadian provinces, several US states, and the Gulf of Mexico. The company was formed by Imperial Oil in 1949 as the Interprovincial Pipe Line Company Limited to transport Alberta oil to refineries. Over time, it has grown through acquisition of other existing pipeline companies and the expansion of their projects.

The Odesa–Brody pipeline is a crude oil pipeline between the Ukrainian cities Odesa at the Black Sea, and Brody near the Ukrainian-Polish border. There are plans to expand the pipeline to Płock, and furthermore to Gdańsk in Poland. The pipeline is operated by UkrTransNafta, Ukraine's state-owned oil pipeline company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kinder Morgan</span> Energy Transportation Company

Kinder Morgan, Inc. is one of the largest energy infrastructure companies in North America. The company specializes in owning and controlling oil and gas pipelines and terminals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mud Island, Memphis</span> Small peninsula in Memphis, Tennessee, US

Mud Island is a small peninsula in Memphis, Tennessee. It is bordered by the Mississippi River to the west and the Wolf River and Harbor Town to the east. Mud Island River Park is within the Memphis city limits, 1.2 miles (1.9 km) from the coast of downtown. Mud Island includes a museum, restaurants, an amphitheater, and a residential area. It is accessible by foot, kayak, paddle board, or automobile. Activities on Mud Island include concerts/performances, kayaking, paddle boarding, and biking. The park is managed and operated by the Memphis River Parks Partnership. Admission to the park is free.

Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. is a master limited partnership engaged in pipeline transport, marketing, and storage of liquefied petroleum gas and petroleum in the United States and Canada. Plains owns interests in 18,370 miles (29,560 km) of pipelines, storage capacity for about 75 million barrels of crude oil, 28 million barrels of NGLs, 68 billion cubic feet of natural gas, and 5 natural gas processing plants. The company is headquartered in the Allen Center in Downtown Houston, Texas. Plains is a publicly traded Master limited partnership. PAA owns an extensive network of pipeline transportation, terminalling, storage and gathering assets in key crude oil and NGL producing basins and transportation corridors at major market hubs in the United States and Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keystone Pipeline</span> Oil pipeline in North America

The Keystone Pipeline System is an oil pipeline system in Canada and the United States, commissioned in 2010 and owned by TC Energy and, as of March 2020, the Government of Alberta. It runs from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin in Alberta to refineries in Illinois and Texas, and also to oil tank farms and an oil pipeline distribution center in Cushing, Oklahoma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Memphis, Tennessee</span>

The City of Memphis is located on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River in the southwest corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the regional hub for a tri-state area of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portland–Montreal pipeline</span> Underground US-Canada crude oil pipelines

The Portland Montreal Pipeline is a series of underground crude oil pipelines connecting South Portland, Maine, in the United States with Montreal, Quebec, in Canada. As of early 2016, the pipeline transports limited volumes, sufficient to keep the pipeline wet. The pipeline also supplied crude oil to the Suncor Montreal-Est refinery during supply interruptions due to the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires.

The Baku–Batumi pipeline is the name given to several pipelines and pipeline projects to transport kerosene and crude oil from the Caspian region to the Georgian Batumi oil terminal at the Black Sea. When first constructed in 1906, it was the world's longest kerosene pipeline.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Harris (politician)</span> American politician

Lee Ardrey Harris is an American politician who currently serves as the Mayor of Shelby County, previously serving as a member of the Tennessee Senate, representing the 29th district. Harris is also a law professor. Prior to his election to the state senate, Harris represented District 7 on the Memphis City Council. He was born and raised in Memphis, and studied at Morehouse College, followed by Yale Law School.

Boxtown is a neighborhood in South Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee near T.O. Fuller State Park. The oldest section of South Memphis, Boxtown includes White's Chapel AME Church, built in 1890. Boxtown has numerous shotgun houses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East African Crude Oil Pipeline</span> Pipeline from Uganda to Tanzanian coast

The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), also known as the Uganda–Tanzania Crude Oil Pipeline (UTCOP), is a 1,443 km crude oil pipeline in planning since 2013, with a foundation stone nominally under construction since 2017, and is intended to transport crude oil from Uganda's Tilenga and Kingfisher oil fields to the Port of Tanga, Tanzania on the Indian Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water protectors</span> Environmental activists from an Indigenous perspective

Water protectors are activists, organizers, and cultural workers focused on the defense of the world's water and water systems. The water protector name, analysis and style of activism arose from Indigenous communities in North America during the Dakota Access Pipeline protests at the Standing Rock Reservation, which began with an encampment on LaDonna Brave Bull Allard's land in April, 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pilgrim Pipeline</span>

The Pilgrim Pipeline was a planned 178-mile pipeline that would deliver up to 200,000 barrels of crude oil and other fuel products per day from Albany, New York to coastal Linden, New Jersey on the Arthur Kill.

The Bayou Bridge Pipeline (BBP) is a 162.5-mile crude oil pipeline from Lake Charles, Louisiana to St. James, Louisiana by Bayou Bridge, LLC, a subsidiary of Energy Transfer Partners. Communities directly impacted by the pipeline voiced health, economic, and environmental concerns. They filed a lawsuit in opposition to the project and asked the Army Corps of Engineers for an Environmental Impact Statement. The Corps refused to do so and approved the project on 15 December 2017. Water protectors at L'eau Est La Vie camp consistently disrupted construction of the BBP for most of 2018, causing delays and millions of dollars in added cost to the project. They raised environmental justice and social justice issues and concerns about the pipeline's contribution to climate change. The pipeline was eventually completed in April 2019.

The Line 3 pipeline is an oil pipeline owned by the Canadian multinational Enbridge. Operating since 1968, it runs 1,031 miles (1,659 km) from Hardisty, Alberta, Canada to Superior, Wisconsin, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dakota Access Pipeline</span> Oil pipeline project in the United States

The Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) or Bakken pipeline is a 1,172-mile-long (1,886 km) underground pipeline in the United States that has the ability to transport up to 750,000 barrels of light sweet crude oil per day. It begins in the shale oil fields of the Bakken Formation in northwest North Dakota and continues through South Dakota and Iowa to an oil terminal near Patoka, Illinois. Together with the Energy Transfer Crude Oil Pipeline from Patoka to Nederland, Texas, it forms the Bakken system. The pipeline transports 40 percent of the oil produced in the Bakken region.

References

  1. 1 2 "Southern Environment". southernenvironment.org. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Former Vice President Al Gore To Speak At Memphis Rally Opposing Byhalia Pipeline". mlk50.com. 9 March 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Environment And Nature Race And Ethnicity Business Government And Politics Health". apnews.com. 20 April 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  4. ↑ "Memphis Community Celebrates Crude Oil Pipeline Proposal Scrapped". abcnews.go.com. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Byhalia Connection Pipeline". commercialappeal.com. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  6. ↑ Guzman, Dulce Torres (2021-04-09). "The Byhalia Pipeline: What you need to know". Tennessee Lookout. Retrieved 2023-11-18.
  7. ↑ Southern Environmental Law Center (February 24, 2021). "Hydrogeologic report warns of pipeline threats to Memphis drinking water source".
  8. ↑ "Byhalia Connection Pipeline Pulls Project". mlk50.com. 2 July 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  9. ↑ Training for Change (2022-11-28). "The Craft of Campaigns: A Podcast for Organisers". The Commons Social Change Library. Retrieved 2023-07-05.
  10. ↑ "Protect Our Aquifer Hires Sarah Houston". dailymemphian.com. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  11. ↑ "The Climate Reality Project Comes To Memphis". memphisflyer.com. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  12. ↑ "Celebrities Tweet Opposition to Byhalia Pipeline". memphisflyer.com. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Proposed Byhalia Connection Pipeline Finds Resistance Down So Called Path Of Least Resistance". dailymemphian.com. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Another Pipeline Bites The Dust Byhalia Connection Not Moving Forward". supertalk.fm. 5 July 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  15. 1 2 3 "Byhalia Pipeline No Longer Pursuing Byhalia Connection Project". wmcactionnews5.com. 2 July 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Rev William Barber Says No To Byhalia Pipeline". dailymemphian.com. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Memphis Community Against Pipeline Holds Protest Against Byhalia Pipeline". wreg.com. 18 April 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Organizations Take Legal Action With Hopes Stopping Byhalia Pipeline". wmcactionnews5.com. 2 April 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Representatives Cohen And Ocasio Cortez Urge Biden Administration". cohen.house.gov. 15 April 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Byhalia Pipeline Construction Buttigieg Says U.S. DOT Won't Intervene". commercialappeal.com. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Byhalia Pipeline Hints At Lawsuit As Memphis City Council Holds Ordinance That Would Regulate Project". mlk50.com. 21 April 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.