The plan is for the new pipeline route, which would be mostly on city of Dayton-owned land and farmland, to also offer economic development opportunities for the city of Union. Better access to natural gas would allow for development of light manufacturing and distribution operations, Vectren spokeswoman Chase Kelley said.
There should be no disruption to airport operations or natural gas availability as the project occurs, said Colleen Ryan, President of Vectren Energy Delivery of Ohio. Also, the project will be paid for over a period of many years, minimizing the impact to ratepayers, she added.
Vectren said it intends to file for approval with the state’s Ohio Power Siting Board, which could hold public hearings soon.
Tougher federal safety regulations requiring more frequent pipeline inspections are driving the project, Ryan said. If any problems are found in an inspection, airport operations could be disrupted when repairs or upgrades are made.
Access to the three-mile-long pipeline is limited due to its proximity to runways, taxiways, the control tower and the airport terminal, she said.
The pipeline that will replace it will be from six to seven miles long. The original pipeline, which was eight inches in diameter, was installed by a predecessor company in the early 1900s before the airport was built, Ryan said.
Vectren said the pipeline was later upgraded to 12 inches, and several modifications and minor line re-locations occurred within airport boundaries from about 1950 throughout the next several decades because of airport expansion projects.
“This relocation project will greatly enhance the ability to maintain the safety and reliability of this pipeline, ensure we can comply with federal inspection guidelines and eliminate the need to disrupt daily operations with airport grounds staff,” Ryan said. “Relocating the pipeline not only makes it more accessible, but also moves it away from the airport, which is considered a high consequence area due to the large volume of people who are on the property at any given time.”
Ryan said a route study shows a preferred corridor for the pipeline relocation on the west side of the airport with the least impact to the public, cultural resources and the environment. Property owners who may be impacted by the project are being notified by mail, and direct talks will occur as the process moves forward.
Pre-construction activities could occur in the spring of 2014 and construction in the summer of 2014, Ryan said.
The state board will have ultimate approval of the specific route selected within the planned corridor.
Vectren Energy Delivery of Ohio delivers natural gas to approximately 315,000 customers in all or portions of Auglaize, Butler, Champaign, Clark, Clinton, Darke, Fayette, Greene, Highland, Logan, Madison, Miami, Montgomery, Pickaway, Preble, Shelby and Warren counties.
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