Controversy over expansion of gas pipeline in Washington County

CHIPLEY – Nan Thompson of Red Deer Road starkly laid out her case against the expansion of a major natural gas pipeline through her property: “I’m afraid I’ll be forced to give up my land to a private company that stands to make millions.” Thompson made her case at the regular monthly meeting of the Washington County Board of County Commissioners Thursday afternoon.

The subject of Thompson’s concern is a major expansion of natural gas transmission capabilities for Florida Gas Transmission Co., LLC, including running new pipeline, building a new compressor unit and upgrading two other compressor units in Washington County. New pipe would be laid south of company’s current lines and an already abandoned line would be removed.

The Washington County segment is part of a massive expansion project designed to add 568 miles of pipeline in Alabama, Mississippi and Florida with approximately 439 miles built parallel to existing pipelines.

Thompson and her family own property north and south of the existing pipeline. She first received word that the natural gas line would be expanded in a letter from Florida Gas in December 2007 asking for permission to survey her property.

Another letter followed in January and there was an open house in Chipley in April that Thompson said provided few details. “They were as vague as possible,” she said. She also said very few details have been released to county officials.

Thompson said in May that neighbors told her that people were climbing over her fence. She found out they were an archeological survey team from Louisiana. “I chased them off,” she said, and called the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

Thompson said that another disquieting bit of information was that instead of adding a gas line on the north side of the existing line, as stated at the April open house, that instead the new lines would be added to the south. Due to development of that part of her property, Thompson said giving up land in the south “is non-negotiable.”

Thompson and several other citizens, as well as BOCC Chairman Joel Pate and County Administrator Pete Herbert, were on hand at another public hearing in Crestview on June 2. She said that more vague information was provided, and that other areas apparently received more information than Washington County.

One of Thompson’s major concerns stems from provisions in state law allowing the exercise of eminent domain. Under statute 361.05 a project certified under the Federal Natural Gas Act has right of eminent domain, and Thompson is afraid it would be exercised. The pipeline expansion is not yet federally certified, “and now is the time to act,” Thompson said.

At her request the BOCC approved forming a citizens committee to gather information on safety and future actions regarding the pipeline, keep the public and the BOCC informed, and to fight use of eminent domain. For information, call Thompson at 638-9357.

A complete map of the project is available at http://www.panhandleenergy.com/phaseviii.asp.