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Regulators: No major impact in gas exports plan

By WTOP Staff

FREDERIC J. FROMMER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal regulators concluded Thursday that Dominion Energy’s proposal to export liquefied natural gas from its Cove Point terminal on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland would pose “no significant impact” on the environment — a positive step for the company.

The environmental assessment by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staff is a recommendation to the commission, which will decide whether the $3.8 billion project can go forward. Other permits are also required.

“The adverse cumulative impacts that could occur in conjunction with the project would be temporary and minor,” the FERC staff said.

The 241-page FERC assessment provoked a torrent of complaints from environmental groups, who said that the agency didn’t take into effect a host of impacts, from global warming to the effect on the Chesapeake Bay.

The assessment comes as energy companies seek to take advantage of a boom in natural gas fueled by hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking. Virginia-based Dominion plans to ship the liquefied natural gas to Japan and India, where gas prices are higher than in the U.S. The Maryland plant would be the largest liquefied natural gas, or LNG, terminal on the East Coast.

Diane Leopold, president of Dominion Energy, hailed the FERC assessment.

“The Cove Point LNG facility has been in existence for nearly 40 years and this makes the most of existing facilities,” she said. “This project will be built within the existing footprint and fence line of an industrial site.”

In a joint press release, several environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, Earthjustice and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, said the assessment failed to look at greenhouse gas emissions from fracking, piping, processing, shipping and eventually burning the liquefied natural gas.

“One of many glaring holes in FERC’s draft review is the lack of anything close to a full analysis of the planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions that would be triggered, from the fracking wells all the way to the final smoke stacks,” said Mike Tidwell, director of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

He said the Obama administration was inviting “a grassroots uproar” as well as a significant legal challenge.

The groups wanted FERC to commit to conducting a more exhaustive environmental impact statement.

The FERC assessment did recommend developing an environmental complaint resolution procedure and avoiding tree clearing where certain species of birds of nest, until the young have left, among other things.

Republicans have been pushing the administration to approve LNG exports — casting that effort in recent months as a way to help beleaguered Ukraine. On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Ukraine must pay in advance for Russian gas supplies starting next month.

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Follow Fred Frommer on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ffrommer

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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