Guilford county commissioners heard a community presentation on the proposed Williams Pipeline Thursday afternoon during a work session. Roughly 30 people attended to show protest against the federal Southeast Supply Enhancement project that would add 42 inch wide pipes for natural gas under more than 24 miles of Guilford, Forsyth and Davidson counties.Brenda Chaney told Guilford County Commissioners that her protest of the pipeline is about more than a personal fight. It’s about community safety and protecting drinking water. “There’s no amount of money that they could pay me to make me feel good about this happening,” Chaney said. She said the proposed lines would run toward her home and on her property, where Chaney pastures horses. The pipeline construction disrupted her property in the past and she’s concerned about the danger of disturbing existing pipes and leaking gas. “They aren’t doing anything to the existing three,” she said. “They are adding a fourth. So if anything goes wrong with any pipes, it’s going to be massive.”For Chaney, the proposed construction seems risky, and she doesn’t trust the Williams company to do the job safely.”I’m sure that they’ve got it down to a science. I’ve been informed that they know what they’re doing, and I believe that part of it,” Chaney said. “But, what I’m not confident in is that bringing all that big, earth-moving equipment in is not going to in any way impact three pipelines that have been in the ground for more than 50 years.”The conference room heard a presentation from Caroline Hansley of the Sierra Club on the potential environmental and health risks of the proposed pipeline. She noted hundreds of petition signatures and letters to commissioners demanding action against the pipeline. Commissioners asked about how public comment could impact the continuation of the proposal and what some of the environmental health risks are.The proposed Transco Williams pipeline is a federal project that would add more than 8 miles of 42-inch-wide pipe underground in Guilford County from Oak Ridge to Kernersville.The pipes could carry more than a million dekatherms (volume) of pressurized natural gas underneath Triad soil — joining existing pipelines.Speakers shared several areas of concern: risk of explosion, leaking natural gas, well water quality. “I could deal with what they want to do to my private property personally if I felt good about their safety record, but I don’t,” Chaney said. Drinking water for some Greensboro reservoirs comes from the Oak Ridge area, which is in the direct path of the proposed pipeline.”Those three reservoirs are of our main concern,” said Caroline Hansley. “Plus, Oak Ridge, all of those residents are on wells. And so if anything were to happen to those folks drinking water, where would they get water from?”The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requires an environmental assessment before it approves the project. The natural gas flowing underneath Triad communities may not be used for their benefit.Community members and the county commission have the ability to comment on the proposed project and provide feedback about safety mitigation suggestions.Chaney said support from county leadership would be in everyone’s best interest. “I just want my town council and my county commissioners to hear and pass a resolution against this pipeline so that further research and studies can be done so that we all know that it’s safe,” she said.The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, also known as FERC, requires an environmental assessment ahead of the project’s approval. Community members and the county commission can comment on the proposed project and provide safety mitigation suggestions. Several agencies at the federal and state levels would need to approve stages of the proposal in order for construction to begin. Hansley said FERC approves 99% of proposals, so it is likely the Williams Company will be allowed to continue the project with federal permissions.If FERC approves the project, pipeline expansion could start as soon as next year. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality could deny water quality permits needed for the expansion, which could slow down or block pipeline construction. A similar case happened several years back in Alamance county, where commissioners opposed the build and the project did not receive the required state permits to put in a pipeline.Commissioners say the Williams Company was unable to attend the work session, but they were invited. They asked the company to present at another public session in the coming weeks. The next time the Guilford County Commission will have a public session is May 1.
Guilford county commissioners heard a community presentation on the proposed Williams Pipeline Thursday afternoon during a work session. Roughly 30 people attended to show protest against the federal Southeast Supply Enhancement project that would add 42 inch wide pipes for natural gas under more than 24 miles of Guilford, Forsyth and Davidson counties.
Brenda Chaney told Guilford County Commissioners that her protest of the pipeline is about more than a personal fight. It’s about community safety and protecting drinking water.
“There’s no amount of money that they could pay me to make me feel good about this happening,” Chaney said.
She said the proposed lines would run toward her home and on her property, where Chaney pastures horses. The pipeline construction disrupted her property in the past and she’s concerned about the danger of disturbing existing pipes and leaking gas.
“They aren’t doing anything to the existing three,” she said. “They are adding a fourth. So if anything goes wrong with any pipes, it’s going to be massive.”
For Chaney, the proposed construction seems risky, and she doesn’t trust the Williams company to do the job safely.
“I’m sure that they’ve got it down to a science. I’ve been informed that they know what they’re doing, and I believe that part of it,” Chaney said. “But, what I’m not confident in is that bringing all that big, earth-moving equipment in is not going to in any way impact three pipelines that have been in the ground for more than 50 years.”
The conference room heard a presentation from Caroline Hansley of the Sierra Club on the potential environmental and health risks of the proposed pipeline. She noted hundreds of petition signatures and letters to commissioners demanding action against the pipeline. Commissioners asked about how public comment could impact the continuation of the proposal and what some of the environmental health risks are.
The proposed Transco Williams pipeline is a federal project that would add more than 8 miles of 42-inch-wide pipe underground in Guilford County from Oak Ridge to Kernersville.
The pipes could carry more than a million dekatherms (volume) of pressurized natural gas underneath Triad soil — joining existing pipelines.
Speakers shared several areas of concern: risk of explosion, leaking natural gas, well water quality.
“I could deal with what they want to do to my private property personally if I felt good about their safety record, but I don’t,” Chaney said.
Drinking water for some Greensboro reservoirs comes from the Oak Ridge area, which is in the direct path of the proposed pipeline.
“Those three reservoirs are of our main concern,” said Caroline Hansley. “Plus, Oak Ridge, all of those residents are on wells. And so if anything were to happen to those folks drinking water, where would they get water from?”
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requires an environmental assessment before it approves the project. The natural gas flowing underneath Triad communities may not be used for their benefit.
Community members and the county commission have the ability to comment on the proposed project and provide feedback about safety mitigation suggestions.
Chaney said support from county leadership would be in everyone’s best interest.
“I just want my town council and my county commissioners to hear and pass a resolution against this pipeline so that further research and studies can be done so that we all know that it’s safe,” she said.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, also known as FERC, requires an environmental assessment ahead of the project’s approval. Community members and the county commission can comment on the proposed project and provide safety mitigation suggestions.
Several agencies at the federal and state levels would need to approve stages of the proposal in order for construction to begin. Hansley said FERC approves 99% of proposals, so it is likely the Williams Company will be allowed to continue the project with federal permissions.
If FERC approves the project, pipeline expansion could start as soon as next year. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality could deny water quality permits needed for the expansion, which could slow down or block pipeline construction. A similar case happened several years back in Alamance county, where commissioners opposed the build and the project did not receive the required state permits to put in a pipeline.
Commissioners say the Williams Company was unable to attend the work session, but they were invited. They asked the company to present at another public session in the coming weeks. The next time the Guilford County Commission will have a public session is May 1.