Pamplico residents continue to fight natural gas pipeline - wpde.com
Pamplico residents continue to fight natural gas pipeline | WPDE
FLORENCE COUNTY — For about three years now, Pamplico residents have been fighting a natural gas pipeline from being placed in their backyards.
Today the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League held an informational meeting in the Pamplico Library, about the proposed Dominion Energy pipeline.
Neighbors were able to voice their concerns and opinions while gaining more knowledge on the impact the pipeline will have.
Dominion energy says the pipeline would be along Old River Road near Kingsburg in Florence County.
They also said the natural gas pipeline will meet current and future customer needs.
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BREDL Executive Director Kathy Andrews feels differently, she says not only will this contaminate the water but the wildlife drinking from it.
“You drinking water comes from the Great Pee Dee River so think about it, there’s a possibility of water contamination a real possibility of toxic water contamination, devastating explosions, they’ve happened across the country and health problems,” Andrews said.
Her team is suing the department of health and environmental control for granting Dominion Energy a 401-water permit.
The defense league is also trying to keep DHEC from allowing Dominion Energy to obtain a 404 permit which will allow them to fill material into wetlands.
A fisherman and resident of Pamplico, Johonny Miles says he’s afraid of what this gas pipeline will do to the animals.
“We just go down there and look at the river? We don’t need to look at it, we need to go get us some fish. We love to eat fish and we like to catch them, but the biggest thing about it is if they contaminate that, that can kill the people too and it’s the odor, there is no odor so we’re not going to see what’s coming," Miles said.
Andrews says the judge should be making a decision any day now, and her team is hoping to win fair and square.
She says if not, they will continue to fight.
The defense league plans to host a protest against the pipeline in about two weeks in Columbia.
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