P.E. Co. Citizens Have Questions about Pipeline

Prince Edward County citizens showed their concern Tuesday night over a natural gas pipeline that is proposed to run through a portion of Prince Edward County. The new “Atlantic Coast Pipeline” was announced Tuesday by four major energy companies. Dominion Resources, Duke Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas, and AGL Resources have all agreed to collaborate on the joint venture which will bring 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day to North Carolina and Virginia by as soon as 2018, according to one Dominion Press release. The production date is dependent upon certain regulatory approvals. The proposed pipeline will be approximately 550 miles long and stretch from Harrison County, West Virginia, southeast through Virginia, exit the state in Brunswick County and continue south/southwest through North Carolina, ending in Robeson County. (See Map) The pipeline will split in Brunswick County and go to the Chesapeake area.

With a total cost of between 4.5 and 5 billion dollars, the Atlantic Coast Pipeline has the potential to provide sorely needed jobs and industry to the region. Governor Terry McAuliffe called it “…a game changer,” speaking to the possible impacts of the joint venture that will be constructed by Dominion Resources. “It will spur economic growth in all parts of the Commonwealth,” he forecasted Tuesday at the official announcement of the pipeline proposal.

While the new Atlantic Coast Pipeline venture will provide more than just a “shot in the arm” economically to Virginia, the fact remains that it will impact the lives of Virginians on a very personal level. Some of those impacts were discussed at last night’s meeting between Prince Edward County residents and spokespersons for Dominion Resources. One of the issues that was cleared up had to do with where the pipeline will be laid. Contrary to any past notifications, this will be an underground pipeline project. The pipe will be welded in sections, x-rayed to verify the weld’s integrity and buried approximately three feet in the ground, very much like other pipelines that exist and are in service now for Dominion Resources. The few structures above ground will be the compressor stations. Compressor stations are the sites for the turbine pumps that will help to move the natural gas and maintain the between 750 and 1440 psi that is needed for the pipeline. There are three stations proposed for this project; one in West Virginia near the beginning, one in Buckingham County and a last one near the Virginia/Carolina border.

One of the most important questions answered was, “What affect will the pipeline have on property values?” The answer from Dominion Resources is that the pipeline will not affect property values in the least. Dominion will require a 400 foot wide easement for the construction and maintenance of its pipeline, but aside from the obvious absence of trees inside the easement boundaries, and some marker posts along the route there will really be no indication that a pipeline is there.

It would seem that Dominion is going to go the distance to make sure anyone affected by the pipeline’s construction and/or existence will be well informed. In the meeting, one of the members of Dominion’s team explained to one homeowner how they would actually move things around to miss some very large old trees that she has on her property and may be in the way of construction.

Anytime the pipeline has to cross a body of water, the Corp of Engineers will be consulted to make sure that potentially negative environmental impacts will be avoided. They, (Dominion) made it clear that they will remain committed to maintaining a safe and respectful job. Prince Edward County also discovered last night that they will be able to access the natural gas supply and tie the Industrial Park to it, thereby taking advantage of the savings and environmental friendliness that using natural gas has to offer.

More information on the Atlantic Coast Pipeline can be found at www.dom.com/ACpipeline

Last night was the beginning of a very long process.  Before the actual pipeline is built the FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) has to approve the route that is being finalized now. Even though the pipeline will only pass through approximately 5 miles of Prince Edward County, the process is a thorough one. It should be. The path this pipeline takes and the lives it will impact for the benefit of us all is important. This is just one leg of a journey toward a National Energy Policy that has been sorely missed by this Nation for a very long time. That, however, is another story.