Sept. 19, 2001

The Editor

The Floyd County Press

PO Box 155 – 710 East Main Street

Floyd, VA 24091

Dear Editor;

I am very concerned about the impact of the 30-inch natural gas pipeline (the Greenbrier Pipeline) that Dominion Power plans to put through the center of Floyd County even though it doesn’t cross my land. I think there may be a perception on the part of many people that if it doesn’t cut through their land, they won’t be affected. Nothing could be further from the truth! After much research on pipeline safety I learned a number of alarming facts.

A pipeline (the same size as the proposed Greenbrier line) blew up last year in New Mexico and caused a firestorm of such intensity that firefighters had to turn away when they were still a half-mile away because the paint was melting off their trucks! The blast in New Mexico was in a desert. People who live in wooded areas should be concerned about the forest fires that will rage out of control if such a blast happens here. (The recent droughts amplify the danger and we simply do not have enough fire-fighting manpower and equipment for such a problem.)

Sadly, regulations and inspections will not provide any safeguards. The pipeline that exploded in New Mexico had passed inspection less than a month before. The Office of Pipeline Safety has yielded to industry pressure to relax standards and regulations that the industry deems “too costly” (in spite of the large profit margin enjoyed by the pipeline companies). The EPA, the Department of the Interior, the former head of the National Transportation Safety Board (which oversees the Office of Pipeline Safety), environmental groups and various state and local governments all criticized the relaxation of standards and safety measures adopted by the Office of Pipeline Safety. The situation is so bad that a company finds it more profitable to keep a damaged pipeline in operation and risk an accident because the fines are so low – if they are levied at all.

County residents should also be aware that because we are not a “heavily” populated area, the standards for construction and operation will be the minimum required by law rather than the best available technology. Safety measures such as remote shut off valves and periodic testing (a better means of monitoring than “inspections”) are not required by law.

There is also the potential for groundwater contamination from chemicals used in

pipeline construction and operation such as PCB’s and mercury.

County residents who are concerned should contact the Blue Ridge Coalition to help oppose the pipeline.

Sincerely,