NEWS
New Pipeline Pitch Divides Supervisors
Supervisors were divided Friday morning as representatives of Kinder Morgan, which operates the existing Tennessee Gas Pipeline that cuts through the northern part of the county, pitched the creation of a third potential natural gas transportation route in Schoharie County; one that would mirror the proposed Constitution line.
Describing it as an expansion of an already existing system, Kinder Morgan Director of Public Affairs Allen Fore detailed the natural gas transportation company's proposed Northeast Energy Direct route that would span from northern Pennsylvania to the Wright Compressor Station and finally to Dracut, Massachusetts.
The proposed NED route would impact one hundred and ninety five landowners in Schoharie County across the Towns of Cobleskill, Jefferson, Middleburgh, Richmondville, Schoharie, Summit, and Wright; with approximately seventy of the ninety-five miles of pipeline being co-located at the existing Constitution route.
Cautioning Kinder Morgan officials to respect landowners in his municipality, Schoharie Supervisor Gene Milone questioned how exactly Schoharie County had become a central point of transportation for pipelines in New York, to which Wright Supervisor Amber Bleau quipped, "we have a pump station; that's why."
Sounding a friendlier note, Ms. Bleau commented that Tennessee Gas had been, "excellent neighbors," and encourage her fellow legislators to visit the pump station in her township. Esperance Supervisor Earl VanWormer disagreed, stating that they [Tennessee Gas], "haven't been good people in Schoharie County."
Questioning the necessity of their proposal, Middleburgh Supervisor Jim Buzon asked Mr. Fore why Kinder Morgan had not looked into sharing capacity with the already planned Constitution pipeline. Fore responded that, "on a base level, we're two different companies," and that FERC would need to rule if the project was in the public interest.
Schoharie County Board Chairman Tony VanGlad invited Kinder Morgan representatives to return in October or November to update Supervisors on the project's status, which is expected to be in the pre-application stage this fall. The company is not expected to begin the permitting process until fall 2015 at the earliest.
Describing it as an expansion of an already existing system, Kinder Morgan Director of Public Affairs Allen Fore detailed the natural gas transportation company's proposed Northeast Energy Direct route that would span from northern Pennsylvania to the Wright Compressor Station and finally to Dracut, Massachusetts.
The proposed NED route would impact one hundred and ninety five landowners in Schoharie County across the Towns of Cobleskill, Jefferson, Middleburgh, Richmondville, Schoharie, Summit, and Wright; with approximately seventy of the ninety-five miles of pipeline being co-located at the existing Constitution route.
Cautioning Kinder Morgan officials to respect landowners in his municipality, Schoharie Supervisor Gene Milone questioned how exactly Schoharie County had become a central point of transportation for pipelines in New York, to which Wright Supervisor Amber Bleau quipped, "we have a pump station; that's why."
Sounding a friendlier note, Ms. Bleau commented that Tennessee Gas had been, "excellent neighbors," and encourage her fellow legislators to visit the pump station in her township. Esperance Supervisor Earl VanWormer disagreed, stating that they [Tennessee Gas], "haven't been good people in Schoharie County."
Questioning the necessity of their proposal, Middleburgh Supervisor Jim Buzon asked Mr. Fore why Kinder Morgan had not looked into sharing capacity with the already planned Constitution pipeline. Fore responded that, "on a base level, we're two different companies," and that FERC would need to rule if the project was in the public interest.
Schoharie County Board Chairman Tony VanGlad invited Kinder Morgan representatives to return in October or November to update Supervisors on the project's status, which is expected to be in the pre-application stage this fall. The company is not expected to begin the permitting process until fall 2015 at the earliest.