Northeast Ohio town votes for alternate route for pipeline
Monday, December 22, 2014
A 5-0 vote to oppose the construction of a natural gas pipeline through New Franklin will be sent to county, state and federal officials in hopes of rerouting the pipeline’s path.
Akron Beacon Journal reports that the city in southern Summit County, Ohio, will have to use additional tax revenue on training and equipment for potential leaks and spills if the pipeline path remains unchanged. However, the Nexus Pipeline is an interstate pipeline, so it’s approval depends upon the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, so the council’s vote won’t make a difference.
If the pipeline’s path doesn’t change, it will threaten New Franklin, the Portage Lakes, water wells, property values and public safety. If it was rerouted to a less populated area, there would be less impacts.
The pipeline is expected to begin transmission in 2017. It is routed to begin in Carroll County to Detroit and onto southern Ontario, Canada.
Via: Akron Beacon Journal > New Franklin opposes natural gas pipeline, wants alternate route
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What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
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Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.