Did you hear that Shenk’s Ferry Wildflower Preserve could have been changed forever if the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project was approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission with the original plan?
Last Spring I was horrified to hear of this plan to take over a corridor of river land in Lancaster County, PA for a gas pipeline.
Concerns about the pipeline project were aired at an informational meeting held on April 29, 2014. The meeting’s purpose was to gather information about the pipeline project and it stretched out over 2 1/2 hours long. Comments about what each speaker had to say are on the page below the video so you can skip to the important parts.
The public was allowed to speak at this meeting and not one of those citizens taking the microphone was FOR the project. ALL were against its approval as it was originally proposed.
Public outcry was heard by the powers that be so the proposed pipeline route was revised to avoid several Lancaster County nature preserves. Hooray!
It’s safe to say that there were/are A LOT of concerned citizens regarding the interstate gas pipeline system called the Central Penn Line South that would connect to the proposed pipeline.
People from far and near visit the natural areas that would be degraded for the purpose of merely transporting a fossil fuel from one area to the next. We all spend money on gas and food and maybe even hotels when visiting the beautiful glens, nature preserves and wildflower areas that were on the chopping block.
Many more people should go to Shenk’s Ferry Wildflower Preserve to see the mass of bluebells that bloom there in April. There are so many beautiful flowers at Shenk’s Ferry, it’s by far the richest wildflower place I’ve ever seen!
How can ANYONE justify the demise of these beautiful areas for a few measly dollars? You really can’t buy happiness, people!
The benefits to the visitors of these naturally beautiful areas are too great to measure. The exhilaration of seeing for the first time or the tenth time the beauty and wonder of such a glorious place is indeed priceless. If you haven’t been there and wonder what all the fuss is about, take a walk on the trail and see it for yourself.
Here are some negatives to the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project that still exist for the landowners involved in the new pipeline plan:
- 350 properties would be affected and partially destroyed
- people living and working around the site would have to live with a new danger in their backyards
- the site is documented as an environmentally sensitive area
- the site was primarily set aside to be protected for future generations to enjoy
- the site is documented as an earthquake sensitive zone, meaning that the potential for pipeline disruption is high
- the people and farms that would be disrupted won’t benefit from the gas that would be transported through their backyards
- the air in Lancaster County is very polluted and we can’t afford to lose the forest on the site as the trees’ function of cleaning the air would be lost
- removal of vegetation at the site will increase sedimentation in associated streams which has a documented bad effect on waterway inhabitants
- forest fragmentation would occur limiting the success of many inhabitants
- heavy equipment would cause soil compaction which will increase runoff that could cause erosion that would need to be further managed
- the gain will only go to the transport and utility companies, not the people who are already living and working on the site, indeed they will suffer a great loss
- williams co doesn’t have a great safety track record with several documented problems at various sites
Here are all the positives to the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project:
- convenience for the gas transport company
Yeah, you read that right. NO positives to this pipeline project for the local people nor the local environment nor the adjoining areas that could be affected with increased air pollution, water pollution, and noise pollution.
Some of the points raised here were brought to light at the public meeting on 29 April 2014.
We didn’t make it Shenk’s Ferry this Spring, but count on it next time around! Hope to see you all there!