$3.5B methane pipeline proposed to cut across Georgia sparks concerns

Middle Georgia community members expressed their concerns over the expansion of a pipeline that will cut through Georgia from Columbus to Augusta.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) stopped in Macon, Sandersville and Griffin last week to talk with community members about the South System Expansion 4, or SSE4, which is a $3.5 billion project by Kinder Morgan, according to The Telegraph.

More than 50 people attended the event in Macon and expressed concerns about health impacts and pollution to water and air.

“As a physician, I already have enough problems with hydrocarbon related deaths from Plant Scherer, and we certainly don’t need a methane pipeline,” Macon-Bibb resident Nick Pietrzak told The Telegraph.

Farmers also expressed concerns about the impact of the pipeline on the soil and potential contamination to water sources.

“We’ve only got so much land that we can farm on. If we keep ruining it, where are we going to get our food?” Ellie Wangrin told The Telegraph

The Southern Environmental Law Center reported that the expansion, including the Mississippi Crossing expansion, would include around 500 miles of new pipe in the ground and impact 18 river watersheds. The group has a form people can submit to FERC Secretary Debbie-Anne A. Reese to express their concerns.

Rev. Jay Horton, the communications manager for Georgia Interfaith Power & Light, posted a video on Facebook in February asking people to sign a petition against the pipeline.

“This methane gas pipeline expansion would run from Augusta, Georgia to Enterprise, Mississippi, crossing 11 rivers and over a thousand bodies of water, places where endangered wildlife live, people fish, swim, farm, and get their drinking water. Gas pipelines not only threaten clean water, their compressor stations also increase air pollution, exposing communities to greater risk of asthma, cancer, and heart attacks,” he said.

If approved, the pipeline is expected to be operational by 2028. The FERC is accepting public comments on the issue until March 23.