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Residents urge council to press Transco, Williams for details on proposed pipeline expansion
Summary
Dozens of Oak Ridge residents voiced opposition to a proposed Transco/Williams pipeline expansion, citing safety, water contamination and property impacts and asking the council to seek more information or host an informational session.
Dozens of Oak Ridge residents told the Town of Oak Ridge Town Council on Dec. 5 that a proposed pipeline expansion by Transco and Williams would endanger homes, churches, schools and groundwater and asked the council to press the companies for more information or to allow a public presentation.
The comments, delivered during a busy public-comment period, focused on safety risks from high-pressure methane pipelines, the presence of decades-old pipelines beneath much of Oak Ridge, unclear emergency-notification procedures for large public buildings and the potential for pipeline costs to be passed to ratepayers.
"If a gas leak is detected in the pipelines in Oak Ridge, who is notified?" asked Austin Goldman, an Oak Ridge resident who said several local churches and senior congregations would not be able to evacuate quickly. "If a gas leak is detected in the pipelines in Oak Ridge, who is notified?"
Other residents described land impacts and long-term property burdens. Brenda Chaney, whose property lies on the pipeline easement, said company rules have already limited how she may use her land and expressed worry about access and tree removal. "They come in and tell me if I can put up a fence, if I can put up shrubbery. They decide with arbitrary rules that I've never been given," Chaney said.
Speakers pointed to public-safety and environmental concerns. Erica Hernandez, representing Clean Water for North Carolina, warned that an underground methane leak could contaminate aquifers and wells and that the pipeline would lock the region into fossil-fuel infrastructure. "Protecting our water is essential for public health and the environment," she said, urging the council to hear a fuller presentation from opponents.
Several speakers asked the council to invite Transco and Williams to hold a public informational session in town so residents could ask company representatives questions directly. Theresa Spence asked the council to "invite Transco here to have them discuss the pipeline with us" and allow a question-and-answer period.
Council members discussed next steps during their comments later in the meeting. Councilman Stone suggested the council should offer the town hall for a noncommercial informational meeting if the companies wish to present. Mayor Jim Kinnaman and staff said town facilities are available to noncommercial groups; no formal referral or resolution was adopted on the pipeline.
Speakers also asked the council to consider a formal resolution opposing the project. Rachel Annalise Cheney, a property owner whose land would be affected, said residents might ask the council to "consider a resolution to block the pipeline" after hearing fuller information.
Why it matters: Residents described multiple communities and institutions — Oak Ridge Elementary School, Oak Ridge Military Academy, Oak Ridge First Baptist Church and Saint James AME Church — as within a calculated blast or impact zone for high-pressure pipelines, and they said long-term risks to groundwater and property value require clearer public notice and company transparency.
What's next: Council members said groups are free to request use of town facilities for informational sessions; one local organization was already planning a meeting. The council did not vote on any regulatory or zoning action related to the pipeline at this meeting.
