Published: June 03, 2008 11:50 am      

Gas line controversy may have been defused

jeff.waters@gaflnews.com



The natural gas line extension proposed for Suwannee County might not affect as many local landowners as once thought.

A new proposal by the Florida Gas Transmission Company has the extension running through Madison County for the most part, with a proposed meter station in the northern part of Suwannee County.

The new meter station, if approved, will be used to regulate the amount of gas being used and will be located at the Progress Energy Power Plant site in northern Suwannee County, tapping into the line in Madison County.

The new proposal will allow the lines to follow along existing rights-of-way FGTC owns, eliminating much of the need to construct on new lands.

The procedure “still has to go through the process with FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission),” said John Barnett, external affairs representative for FGTC. “This is our preferred route and it will affect a lot less landowners than the other routes.”

Barnett said gaining input from local citizens in the area significantly helped the FGTC make the decision for the new proposal.

The previous proposal would have affected about 90 Suwannee County landowners and required construction of a 35-mile loop as well as another segment about 22 miles in length, including about eight miles of pipeline in the northwest part of the county.

According to a Panhandle Energy press release, FGTC supplies millions in Florida with electric utilities. They also provide local distribution companies, service industrial customers and many more.