Local Western Mass. Residents On Edge Over Natural Gas Pipeline Proposal

WBZ-TV, CBS ^ | June 24, 2014 | Joe Shortsleeve

[thackney]

Plans to build a natural gas pipeline through central and western Massachusetts are running into opposition from residents in the communities affected.

The pipeline begins in Troy, Pennsylvania and runs through Wright, New York before entering Massachusetts in Richmond. It would run through dozens of communities before ending in Dracut.

But few residents expect to see any benefits from the pipeline plan.

“It would go in front of our house. It would go through this hay field,” said Pat Worth, one of those residents. Worth is afraid her 25-acre farm in rural Royalston will be ruined if a natural gas pipeline is ever allowed to be built.

“It will destroy property values,” she said. “It will destroy any inheritance to our children. This is not a good thing.”

Called the Northeast Expansion Project, Kinder Morgan, a Houston-based energy company is proposing a multi-billion dollar pipeline. It would cross into western Massachusetts and travel through more than three dozen New England communities.

Here is the issue – energy experts in New England say demand for natural gas is skyrocketing. Half of the homes in Massachusetts now use it and an even larger number get their electricity from plants powered by natural gas.

[thackney]

Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C. (TGP), a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P., proposes the Northeast Energy Direct Project to upgrade its existing pipeline system in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut. This project is a combination of TGP’s proposed Pennsylvania to Wright, N.Y. and Wright to Dracut, Mass. projects.

The NED Project is being developed to meet the increased demand in the Northeast United States for transportation capacity of natural gas. Natural gas is a clean, environmentally friendly energy source that is produced domestically.

Proposed Project Facilities:

- 50 miles of looping of the existing TGP 300 Line in Pennsylvania

- 117 miles of greenfield pipeline from the TGP 300 Line to Wright, N.Y.

- 50 miles co-located with the existing TGP 200 Line in New York and Massachusetts

- 129 miles of greenfield pipeline in Massachusetts to Dracut, Mass.

- Lateral construction and modification of existing laterals to serve markets

- Modifications to existing and construction of new compressor stations and meter stations

http://www.kindermorgan.com/business/gas_pipelines/east/neenergydirect/

[mazda77]

This is like the idiots wailing about above ground transmission wires and the phony EMF claims of doom and then off to bed they go snuggled under their electric blankets.

[libertarian27]

It’s going through Richmond. MA?

Where Governor Deval Patrick has a house?
Zero’s Mini-Me...he’ll probably do his darn-est to send it somewhere else.

[wideawake]

Contemptible whining clowns.

No one along this corridor owns a gas stovetop?

No one along this corridor has gas heating?

If so, how can they live with that dangerous poison coursing through their communities and homes?

[babble-on]

So, it will destroy property values to have a clean cheap reliable energy source rather than having oil trucks rumbling through.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Gee, who’dda thunk it? There’s NIMBYs in a Berkshire County hobby farm town?

[reformedliberal]

I’m rural. We do not have access to NG. It is all propane or electricity. For those who don’t know, propane requires a 500 gallon tank in your yard. Or a 100 pound tank (about 3 feet high) attached to your house to provide gas for just a stove.

We have a NG pipeline running along our property line. Maybe one-two acres away from the house. It crosses a field that is close to a river and therefore off limits for any permanent use. It actually crosses the river. It is buried underneath it. DNR controls the river, its banks and all easements within 25-30 feet. We have lived here for 40 years. The pipeline was here before that. Never been any problem and it does not impact property values. Except for the yearly reminder and calendar from the pipeline company, we forget it is there.

The propane tank is 10 feet behind the house.

[Pearls Before Swine]

MA could definitely use more NG capacity.

Compensate the guy with the hayfield and get on with it.

[PA Engineer]

“It would go in front of our house. It would go through this hay field,” said Pat Worth, one of those residents. Worth is afraid her 25-acre farm in rural Royalston will be ruined if a natural gas pipeline is ever allowed to be built.

“It will destroy property values,” she said. “It will destroy any inheritance to our children. This is not a good thing.”

I just shake my head. I started out on R.O.W. studies (Northern Boarder Pipeline) with post commissioning inspections. If it wasn't for the line markers and test stations, you would not even know the line exists after restoration. There is nothing to prevent this person from "farming" after installation and land owners are well compensated for the impact.

I firmly believe there should be different per therm rate value at city gates to take into account a local NIMBY fee. This would put an end to a lot of this insane behavior. Let the locals see and pay for the crazy ones amongst them.

[riverrunner]

Worth is a idiot who has no clue.

I have several pipe lines in my area. The local farmers plant right over the top of them.

Sounds like a city person who moved to the country.

[HiTech RedNeck]

I don’t know if folks along the way will be able to get natural gas service fed from the pipeline, though it would be nice if they could.

[Daveinyork]

Perhaps they could transport the stuff through there communities by rail car. See how they liked that.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Why play spite games?

It’s unclear whether the pipeline will have taps for feeding local service.

[PA Engineer]

Why play spite games?

It is not a spite game. Costs are spread out for everyone in cases like this. Why should everyone pay for a few?

[Cboldt]

-- Compensate the guy with the hayfield and get on with it. --

Everybody is paid. I LOL at the "lose the inheritence" line. The pipeline will IMPROVE the inheritence!

[thackney]

R.O.W. studies (Northern Boarder Pipeline)

I was a lead engineer on the mid-1990's big expansion from the Canadian Border into Chicago.

http://www.gie.com/images/stories/article/Chicago%20Project-%20Northern%20Border.pdf

[Paine in the Neck]

“It will destroy property values,” she said. “It will destroy any inheritance to our children. This is not a good thing.”

Do without, then.

[thackney]

Residents won’t get service direct from the high pressure transmission pipeline. A local distribution company would connect through a meter station and pressure drop for local service.

Very similar concept to a high voltage transmission line that needs a local substation and medium voltage distribution power lines.

[babble-on]

The red spur lines on the map are lines for local usage, including one in the Berkshires, but you’re also right that this lady in the article is not going to be able to put a tap on this pipeline.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

Exactly. This is a perfect example of NIMBY. They don't want their property value "ruined" by the line but then these will be the same people bitching and whining when their energy prices shoot through the roof.

Someone needs to tell these whiners that, as of today, no one has invented a magical way to transport gas with a Star Trek-like transporter.