Eight-mile gas pipeline project could effect many homeowners in Tuxedo

TUXEDO-Columbia Gas Transmission Corp. has proposed a construction project to replace 8.8 miles of an existing natural gas pipeline in Tuxedo and Ramapo. The current 8- and 16-inch pipeline, known as Line A-5, will be replaced by a new 30-inch pipeline as a part of Columbia's systematic upgrade to the pipeline infrastructure in this area. Since 1993, Columbia has replaced approximately 24 miles of the A-5 system, which supplies natural gas to local utilities, businesses and industries including Orange & Rockland Utilities Inc., Central Hudson Gas Co. and New York State Electric and Gas. Columbia will be contacting individuals directly whose land may be effected by the project. The Tuxedo Town Board is in the process of establishing itself as an intervener between the parties involved in the project and the community. Town Councilman William Lemanski said that as an intervener, the town board would receive notification of all project activities and thus be able to keep a close watch on what is happening. The town board believes that with intervener status, the community will have a voice in the project, Lemanski said. The pipeline project is scheduled to be on the agenda in upcoming town board meetings. Columbia is a natural gas company that concentrates mainly on the transportation of natural gas and operation of underground storage fields in interstate commerce. The company operates facilities in the states of Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. A copy of the application filed by Columbia is available at the following public libraries: • Tuxedo Park Library on Rt. 17 • Sloatsburg Public Library on Liberty Rock Road • Suffern Free Library on Lafayette Avenue • Middletown Thrall Library on Depot Street. More information on the project can be found on The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's Web site at http://www.ferc.gov/for-citizens/my-rights/citizen-guides/gas-guide.asp or www.columbiagastrans.com/newprojects.htm. Information concerning citizen rights also can be found on the FERC website at www.ferc.fed.us or by calling the FERC's office of External Affairs at (866) 208-3372.