GATESVILLE, Texas (KXXV) — Wednesday night, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission hosted a scoping session about the proposed DeLa Express Pipeline. It gave our neighbors a chance to voice their opinions on the pipeline that would run right through our community.
The natural gas pipeline explosion that led to the evacuation of a Houston community is raising concerns for our neighbors.
On a larger scale, the proposed 690-mile-long DeLa Express Pipeline would push natural gas from the Permian Basin in West Texas to Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Jonathan Copeland is part of the “Stop the DeLa Pipeline” campaign.
“They're trying to build this pipeline next to three schools and countless homes. Meanwhile, a pipeline exploded on Monday in Houston. It's still on fire almost three days later," Copeland said.
"People who have come here have good cause for concern,” Copeland said.
The pipeline would cross through several of our neighborhoods, including Coryell County. Local property owners are worried about the impact it might have.
“My concern was that SpaceX conducts a lot of testing. The vibration from that shakes the ground. There are people's foundations that crack. If people's foundations are cracking from all that vibration, what's the effect that’s going to have on the pipeline?” Leo Corona, a Gatesville resident, asked.
Other concerns include eminent domain, torn-up properties, and the impact on livestock. While most are against the pipeline, some say there is an upside to it.
Cassidy Croley has worked for a pipeline union for 15 years.
“The only landowners I've come across who had any negative feedback were the ones that had a non-union contractor not put back the land like it's supposed to be — that's huge, it affects everybody,” Croley said.
Their job is to weld the pipeline. Their goal is to leave it better than when they found it.
“We want to make sure that not only the gas company gets a great product, but that the landowner has something that's under the ground that they don't have to worry about for years to come,” said Chad Simmons, Director of Organizing for Pipeliners Union 798.
Wednesday night's session is the first of many meetings led by the FERC to hear from local neighbors — still, most are certain the pipeline would do more harm to our community than good.
“It's scary — they're not starting small. They're not starting with the 12-inch or 20-inch, like we saw in Houston. They're starting with the 42-inch – that's one of the biggest pipelines out there,” Copeland said.
The scoping meetings are one way the public can share their input. If you did not make the meeting, there are several ways to submit comments outlined by the FERC:
“There are four methods you can use to submit your comments to the Commission. Please carefully follow these instructions so that your comments are properly recorded. The Commission encourages electronic filing of comments and has staff available to assist you at (866) 208-3676 or FercOnlineSupport@ferc.gov.
- You can file your comments electronically using the eComment feature, which is located on the Commission’s website (www.ferc.gov) under the link to FERC Online. Using eComment is an easy method for submitting brief, text-only comments on a project.
- You can file your comments electronically by using the eFiling feature, which is located on the Commission’s website (www.ferc.gov) under the link to FERC Online. With eFiling, you can provide comments in a variety of formats by attaching them as a file with your submission. New eFiling users must first create an account by clicking on “eRegister.” You will be asked to select the type of filing you are making; a comment on a particular project is considered a “Comment on a Filing.”
- You can file a paper copy of your comments by mailing them to the Commission. Be sure to reference the project docket number (PF24-4-000) on your letter. Submissions sent via the U.S. Postal Service must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, Room 1A, Washington, DC 20426. Submissions sent via any other carrier must be addressed to: Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Acting Secretary, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 12225 Wilkins Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20852.”
Comments are due by September 23.
