PITTSYLVANIA CO., Va. – A proposed natural gas pipeline expansion has raised concerns among Pittsylvania County property owners, particularly those already hosting multiple pipeline infrastructure on their land.
Sherri Garner’s 26-acre farm in Chatham, home to her prize-winning horses for two decades, lies in the path of Mountain Valley Pipeline’s planned Southgate project. The project would add another pipeline to her property, which already contains four natural gas lines with an additional one planned.
“What happens to our ground water? What happens to Cherry Stone Creek? What happens to the well water around here that all the people in this area depend on?” Garner questioned, expressing concerns about potential pipeline leaks.
As a former EMT in Texas, Garner’s had first-hand experience with pipeline explosions, a concern she now has for her own backyard. “If they have an issue out here in my pasture, it’s gonna blow. It’s gonna blow Williams’ pipelines, all five of them. We won’t be here anymore,” she said.
Pipeline Necessity Debated
The Southern Environmental Law Center questions the necessity of the project. “The shippers on the pipeline that claim that they need this gas have other existing and proposed resources to get the gas they need without MVP Southgate,” said Mark Sabath, Senior Attorney at the Center.
A recent report from London Economics International indicates North Carolina has sufficient pipeline capacity to support energy needs through 2040. However, Mountain Valley Pipeline maintains that there is strong market demand for the project.
MVP Project Spokesperson Shawn Day defended the project’s necessity, noting that the MVP Mainline is already operating at full capacity just six months after entering operation. “The vast majority of North Carolina’s natural gas supply has historically been controlled by a single provider,” Day said. “For years, the North Carolina Utilities Commission has recognized the state needs an additional interstate natural gas transmission provider to diversify the state’s natural gas supply and promote competition.”
Market Support
According to Day, both Duke and PSNC Energy have signed long-term agreements to receive natural gas from the amended MVP Southgate project. “The amended MVP Southgate project is necessary to meet North Carolina’s critical needs for energy supply diversity and resilience,” he said.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission must approve the project based on demonstrated market need. The MVP Southgate team continues to pursue necessary authorizations for construction, while property owners like Garner await final decisions that could impact their land.