There has been overwhelming public pushback for a potential natural gas gate station hookup to the Mountain Valley Pipeline that Roanoke Gas would like to install in Elliston.
Last month, the Montgomery County Planning Commission voted in favor (4-2) of the installation despite citizens’ multiple concerns ranging from the local to the global including the health effects of the carcinogenic chemicals released at the station, general opposition to using the pipeline, global warming and the larger impact that fracking and fossil fuels have on the environment.
The board of supervisors approved a resolution opposing the MVP on Nov. 14, 2014. Since then, the board has taken several action steps in opposition to it, according to county spokesperson Jennifer Harris. However, those were essentially formal protests since MVPs approval is managed and approved at the federal level.
According to a presentation by Roanoke Gas at a supervisors’ meeting earlier this month, adjacent property owners are in favor of the gate station that would be installed on private portions of Stone Keep Lane. Those in favor have even expressed interest in becoming customers once the line is operational.
None of those neighbors spoke at the meeting; however, more than thirty people spoke again in opposition of the station, repeating the aforementioned reasons and also stating that recent court rulings may ultimately stop construction, although Roanoke Gas is convinced the pipeline will be built.
Roanoke Gas said that the hookup up would allow for more stable service as the East Tennessee Pipeline that supplies part of Roanoke County and a small part of eastern Montgomery County.
The company said that thousands of customers in Roanoke would benefit, but were not able to give a definitive number when it came to Montgomery County.
Supervisor and Vice-chair April Demotts said that she has not made up her mind on how she will vote, but has not seen or heard anything that has shown how Montgomery County will benefit from the addition.
Demotts said that she does believe that the county has a role to play in reducing emissions any way that it reasonably can.
Supervisor and Chair Chris Tuck also said that he is not sure how he will vote, although he said that he sees it as more of a land-use issue more than anything. He noted that he has a similar station close to his house and that it hardly makes any noise and isn’t considered intrusive to the area.
“You don’t hear noise any louder than a hair dryer,” he said.
It was mentioned multiple times that Roanoke Gas owns a one percent stake in the pipeline, but company officials said that is not quite the case.
CFO Paul Nester said that RGC Midstream, a sister company of Roanoke Gas, owns the one percent stake.
“The ownership is mutually exclusive of the tap,” he said.
Both companies are owned by RGC Resources.
Citizens who wish to express their opinions on the matter will have one more chance to do so during the public-hearing portion of Monday night’s meeting.
The meeting begins at 7:15 p.m. in the Montgomery County Government Center (755 Roanoke St., Christiansburg).
