Oak Ridge residents urge council to oppose Transco pipeline expansion, cite water and safety risks

Dozens of residents told the Town of Oak Ridge Town Council on Feb. 6 that they oppose the Southeastern Supply Enhancement Project, a proposed Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line (Transco) expansion that would add a high-pressure 42-inch pipeline adjacent to existing lines running through the town.

Speakers asked the council to pass a formal resolution opposing the project, saying construction and operation pose risks to private wells, surface water and public safety and would threaten historic properties in town. "We are asking the Oak Ridge town council to vote and pass a resolution opposing the SSEP project through our town," resident Ron Ray said.

Why it matters: Speakers said the proposed route would run near Oak Ridge Elementary School, Oak Ridge Military Academy, several churches and businesses and hundreds of homes. They argued the project would offer little local benefit while exposing residents to potential leaks, explosions and long-term contamination of groundwater that private well owners would have to address themselves.

Residents and experts highlighted several concerns cited during public comment:

- Groundwater and wells: Several residents said pipeline construction and the chemicals used in coatings and lubricants present a risk to private wells and streams that feed regional supplies. Emily Sutton, Haw River Keeper and executive director of the Haw River Assembly, said private wells are not protected by the Safe Drinking Water Act and that groundwater contamination is difficult to remediate.

- Safety and blast zone concerns: Multiple speakers described the proximity of homes, schools and businesses to pipeline right-of-way and warned about blast or fire risk if a rupture occurs. Brenda Cheney cited a 2008 rupture in Appomattox, Va., saying the incident produced a 20-foot-deep, 2,200-foot-long crater and that homes had to be evacuated.

- Construction impacts and property damage: Residents reported encountering company crews on private property and expressed concern about vibrations, digging near decades-old infrastructure, and damage to wells and roadways during construction.

- Historic and environmental harms: Terry Hammond, who serves on the Guilford County Historic Preservation Commission, said the pipeline could affect National Register properties including the Old Mill of Guilford and the Oak Ridge historic district. Other speakers warned about stream crossings that can damage aquatic habitat.

Speakers pointed to prior civic actions in other counties as precedent for local opposition. Sutton cited an Alamance County resolution that she said contributed to the Mountain Valley Pipeline Southgate Extension being routed away from that county. Community advocate Claire Spear said local and state resolutions have sometimes created political cover for higher-level elected officials to act.

Council response and next steps: Several council members and the town manager acknowledged they do not have regulatory authority to stop a federally regulated pipeline but said they were listening to constituents’ concerns. Town Manager Bill Bruce announced administrative items later in the meeting but did not place a pipeline resolution on the Feb. 6 agenda. Council members said they would continue to consider the request to draft and vote on a resolution at a future meeting.

No formal council action on the pipeline was taken during the Feb. 6 meeting.

Ending: Residents asking for a resolution said they would follow up with the council; some asked council members to coordinate with county and state officials and to request a full environmental study if the project proceeds. The transcript records repeated pleas that the council "stand with us" and pass a resolution opposing the SSEP expansion.