To the editor:
I noticed while driving along county Road 43 across from the Jefferson County Industrial Park that there were surveyor flags for what I am told is a large to-be-installed petroleum line.
I don't quite understand why anyone would install a large line carrying flammable material in an area which is to become an industrial park where a lot of people are going to be located. If there is a leak, wouldn't the park have to be vacated? Will the insurance premiums for buildings located near the line increase? Doesn't this also complicate future construction for the industrial park? Has someone overlooked this? Wouldn't it be better to follow the bottom of the hollow as far as possible?
Plus, if kept in the hollow, the pipeline right-of-way could also serve as a walking and biking trail from the forks of Seven Creeks Road and county Road 43 to the Wal-Mart Distribution Center. The trail would not only be a benefit to the community, but because the line is kept clear for the trail, it reduces maintenance for the pipeline company. In Pennslyvania, near Hickory, they are doing something very similar by using the right of way for a new train track to haul liquids to and from the wells to also install a adjacent walking and bike trail, so there is an additional benefit to the community, other than just dollars.
It's a win-win situation for the company and the community. Why can't this be done here?
Tom Galownia
Island Creek Township
