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Equity Method Investments
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]  
Equity Method Investments Equity Method Investments
The Company holds a 25 percent equity interest in Constitution Pipeline Company, LLC (Constitution) and a 20 percent equity interest in Meade Pipeline Co LLC (Meade). Activity related to these equity method investments is as follows:
 
 
Constitution
 
Meade
 
Total
 
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
(In thousands)
 
2019
 
2018
 
2019
 
2018
 
2019
 
2018
Balance at beginning of period
 
$
—

 
$
732

 
$
163,181

 
$
85,345

 
$
163,181

 
$
86,077

Contributions
 
500

 
250

 
8,477

 
72,616

 
8,977

 
72,866

Distributions
 
—

 
—

 
(14,266
)
 
—

 
(14,266
)
 
—

Earnings (loss) on equity method investments
 
(500
)
 
(982
)
 
11,694

 
(27
)
 
11,194

 
(1,009
)
Balance at end of period
 
$
—

 
$
—

 
$
169,086

 
$
157,934

 
$
169,086

 
$
157,934


For further information regarding the Company’s equity method investments, refer to Note 4 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in the Form 10-K.
Constitution Pipeline Company, LLC
In August 2019, the Federal Energy Regulatory Committee issued an order concluding the New York Department of Environmental Conservation has waived its authority under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act "to issue or deny a water quality certification" for the proposed Constitution pipeline. This decision removed one of the major remaining regulatory hurdles for the continuation of the project. In light of this decision, in September 2019, the Company, the other members of Constitution and Williams Partners L.P., the project sponsor, resumed discussions regarding the construction of the project, including evaluating the commercial feasibility of the project, the remaining legal and regulatory hurdles, projected costs and capital requirements and other aspects of the development and construction of the pipeline. The Company remains committed to continuing the process of evaluating the next steps for advancing the project. 
Meade Pipeline Co LLC
In September 2019, the Company entered into an agreement to sell its 20 percent ownership interest in Meade to a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Partners, LP for $256.0 million. This transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2019, subject to customary closing conditions and adjustments.