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Commissioners raise alarms about pipeline contractor work blocking county roads and blasting in creek beds
Summary
During announcements commissioners and staff reported a pipeline contractor working in Dickson County has blocked county roads, reportedly begun blasting through limestone and affected bus and emergency routes; county staff said federal-state rules limit local action but pledged further meetings with company and legal review.
Commissioners used the announcements portion of the Nov. 17 meeting to raise concerns about a pipeline contractor working in Dickson County whose operations have reportedly blocked county roads, disrupted bus routes and allegedly begun blasting through creek beds.
An unnamed commissioner described months of boring operations that stalled in limestone and said crews had begun blasting and digging through creeks and county roads; the speaker said the work had closed roads for "two, maybe three" weeks in places and disrupted farm operations and emergency access. "They're burning up more machines... they used to borrow all day long to get 2 feet. So now they decide they're gonna blast and dig through our creeks, through our roads, which that wasn't the agreement," the commissioner said.
Chair and staff replied that county officials have been working with company attorneys and lobbyists and had reached out to Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA). Chair said TEMA "pretty much told us... that under their federal domain, we really didn't have a lot we could do with it," while also committing county staff and the sheriff to pursue enforcement on county roads and meet with company representatives and county staff the following morning.
Commissioner Buckner added infrastructure and environmental concerns, noting a damaged bridge on East Pine and constraints from permitting that limit county creek work; he contrasted that with the pipeline operator's ability to work in creeks. County leaders said they would examine prior agreements made with pipeline operators when they first arrived in the district and explore legal options.
No formal resolution or enforcement action was adopted at the Nov. 17 meeting; commissioners asked staff to meet with the company and to report back to the commission on possible legal or operational remedies.
