Greensboro City Council urges FERC to require full environmental review of Transco pipeline expansion

Greensboro City Council on Oct. 8 adopted a resolution urging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to fully consider health, safety and environmental impacts of the proposed Transco Southeast Supply Enhancement pipeline project and to require Williams Companies to provide immediate notification of emergency events to affected residents and local emergency management agencies.

The resolution, read into the record and moved by the mayor pro tem, cites local sustainability commitments — including Greensboro's 2022 strategic energy plan and its LEED recognition — and lists concerns about public safety, water resources, environmental degradation and broader economic risks. Margaret Rowlett and Aden Lorets, both representing local environmental‑justice interests, spoke in support of the resolution and asked council to pass it unanimously.

Aden Lorets told council the measure would form part of the city’s climate legacy, saying the resolution "joins others of a similar nature in prioritizing communities and people over pipelines and profit." The council then voted to approve the resolution unanimously, 9–0.

Why it matters: The resolution asks federal and state regulators to ensure local and county concerns are included in FERC’s review and signals the city’s intent to make pipeline impacts part of the public record and regulatory process. The resolution directs the city clerk to send copies to FERC, the North Carolina Utilities Commission, Guilford County and the city’s federal delegation.

What’s next: The resolution is an advocacy action by the council; it does not itself change land use approvals or regulatory authority. The clerk will forward the resolution to the agencies named in the text, and local advocates and staff said they will follow regulatory filings and seek engagement in FERC and state proceedings.