Transco Pipeline Project Open House Tonight in Montgomery

PCurrent Transco pipeline construction in Hunterdon County. Photo: Fight the Pipe.
Current Transco pipeline construction in Hunterdon County. Photo: Fight the Pipe.

The Williams Company will present its controversial plans to expand its natural gas pipeline system tonight, April 11 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Otto Kaufman Community Center, which is located at 356 Skillman Road in Montgomery.

The company’s Leidy Southeast Expansion Project would affect Princeton, Montgomery, Branchburg, and Readington. 

The project would affect more than 30 properties along the Great Road in Princeton along the environmentally sensitive Princeton Ridge. About 1.2 miles of pipeline would be built running parallel to the existing pipeline in Princeton and another five miles if pipeline would be expanded in Montgomery.

If the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approves the project,  construction of the new portion of the gas line, called the Skillman Loop, could start in fall of 2014. The Transco pipeline spans 10,200 miles from South Texas to New York City.

Another Transco project, the proposed Stanton Loop, would run along about 90 homes in Hunterdon County, including several dozens properties in Clinton and others in Union, Franklin and Readington.

Princeton homeowners who attended a recent meeting with representatives from the Federal Regulatory Commission and Williams expressed concerns about the environmental impacts of the project.

Williams Partners L.P., owns interests in three pipelines delivering 14 percent of U.S. natural gas. The Tulsa-based company is also seeking federal approval for an $182 million expansion of its Transco Pipeline to New York City called the Rockaway Delivery Lateral Project.The 26-inch diameter Rockaway delivery project would include 2.9 miles of offshore and 0.3 miles of onshore pipeline. The company wants to run its pipeline through national park land to bring additional natural gas supply into New York City. The company is also seek federal approval for a Transco natural gas pipeline expansion in Virginia and North Carolina. The $298 million Virginia Southside Expansion is scheduled for service by 2015.