Residents urge Oak Ridge Town Council to oppose Williams Transco pipeline expansion, deliver petition and resolution

Dozens of residents of Oak Ridge urged the Town of Oak Ridge Town Council to adopt a formal resolution opposing the Williams Transco Southeast Supply Enhancement Project and asked council to vote on a resolution at its next meeting.

Speakers at the public-comment period said the proposed pipeline expansion would run through or adjacent to neighborhoods, parks, churches and schools and raised safety, water contamination, property-value and historic-preservation concerns. Claire Spear, an organizer and advocacy professional from Hillsborough, presented a draft resolution and a 17-page petition of signatures she said were gathered locally and asked council to place the resolution on next month’s agenda. Spear read a core paragraph of the draft: "Now, therefore, be it hereby resolved by the Oak Ridge Town Council that in consideration of the concerns shared above, that the Oak Ridge Town Council is recorded as being opposed to the Southeast supply enhancement project entering and being installed in Oak Ridge." (Claire Spear, public comment.)

Why it matters: Residents said the project would affect many daily uses of town property and private wells and posed what they described as public-safety and environmental risks. Multiple speakers cited the age of existing pipeline infrastructure, concerns about excavation near streams and ponds, and potential effects on property values and historic sites. Several asked the council to act beyond listening — to use its municipal authority and public voice to press for alternatives, additional study or compensation if the project proceeds.

What residents said: Ron Ray, who identified himself as a homeowner, described the prospect of land scarring and tree removal along a right-of-way and warned of a possible chilling effect on home values and business investment. Jane Foy, who identified herself as a pediatrician, said she was concerned about water contamination risks to children during installation and if a leak occurred. Chuck Salvin cited a 1,100-foot “blast zone” figure for a 36-inch pipe and said he lives within that distance; he urged the council to join residents in asking for protections or pursuing other options. Several faith leaders, including Reverend Shelby Miles of St. James AME and a representative of Oak Ridge First Baptist Church, said their congregations opposed the expansion on safety and stewardship grounds.

Council response and next steps: Councilmembers discussed whether the item should be scheduled for fuller council debate. Councilmember Snyder said she would like a fuller discussion and asked for an environmental-impact-type review; she encouraged placing the matter on a future agenda out of respect for residents’ concerns. Several speakers, including Claire Spear and Deborah Sembala (who helped draft the resolution), asked the council to vote on a resolution at the next regular meeting so the town’s position could be shared with Guilford County and federal regulators. No formal council resolution or ordinance was adopted during the meeting; the request to place the item on a future agenda was made at the dais.

Context and limitations: Speakers referenced federal and state processes, including the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and North Carolina statutory requirements; Claire Spear asked the council to request that FERC consider protections for water sources and to urge Williams Transco to investigate a no-build alternative. Councilmembers noted that some aspects of pipeline siting and federal approval fall outside municipal authority. Speakers also called on the town to press for remediation or replacement of an existing pipeline they said is more than 70 years old.

Ending: The council did not vote on a formal resolution at this meeting. Residents handed the council multiple printed copies of a draft resolution and a petition and asked the mayor and council to include a vote on a resolution opposing the project on next month’s agenda.