Kinder Morgan Addresses Natural Gas Pipeline Concerns

An open house at Berkshire Community College on the proposed natural gas pipeline that will run through the Berkshires was well attended on Tuesday night.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Kinder Morgan representatives say the controversial natural gas pipeline proposed to cut through the Berkshires will bring a big benefit: Lower energy costs.

Kinder Morgan's Vice President of Public Affairs Allen Fore said New England already relies heavily on natural gas for both gas and electricity needs. Kinder Morgan, a energy distributor, has been supplying companies like Berkshire Gas for a long time.

And whether the pipeline is built or not, the region will still be using the same natural gas from the same shale ground extracted through hydrofracking, he said.

Fore said the pipeline would firstly lower natural gas rates in New England, which has the highest prices in the country because of limited supply. He said this is why the price spikes during more demanding times.

"Maybe some people can afford the highest gas prices, but it has a negative impact on those who can't and those are real economic issues that have to be addressed," Fore said.

It's an argument the company hopes will sway public opinion toward its Northeast Energy Direct Project — a proposed 188-mile gas transmission line from Wright, N.Y., to Dracut, 64 miles of which will cut through northwestern Massachusetts. The proposed pipeline will run through Cheshire, Dalton, Hancock, Hinsdale, Lanesborough, Peru and Windsor.

Fore was speaking during an open house Tuesday evening at Berkshire Community College, one of several presentations that have been held over the past year or so to explain the project and its benefits. A steady influx of residents perused the boards and maps spread around the cafeteria and quizzed Kinder Morgan representatives.

Half of New England's electric supply comes from natural gas, Fore said, so the price also fluctuates when there is limited supply in high-use periods. If power suppliers cannot receive the proper amount of natural gas, they have to resort to fuel oil. He said there was a record amount of fuel oil used last winter for this reason.

"As more power plants need more natural gas, then more natural gas is needed year round," Fore said. "It's not going to just be in the winter. It is going to be in the summer when you have air conditioning."

Fore said Berkshire Gas indicated that within a year, it will not be able to supply any additional customers with natural gas because of the high demand.  

"It's not a hypothetical, it is a real situation," he said. "That's why the governors have been talking about it and the local distributing companies have been talking about it. It is a real situation and we are proposing what we believe will address that."

He added that all of the consumer contracts and commitments to the pipeline are New England-based and the pipeline will aid New England.

Many opponents of the pipeline fear the gas will exported overseas and those affected by the pipeline will receive no benefits from it.

A Kinder Morgan representatives answers questions at the open house.

Fore said many see natural gas as a "bridge energy" until renewable energy can meet the nation's needs.

"We are trying to build an infrastructure that is going to address those generational needs," he said. "Renewables are going to play a much more significant role year to year, but no one can say that renewables can pick up the energy load and needs of the region. It is impossible."

The proposed pipe will be up to 36 inches, which would carry the maximum load possible.

Fore said it is important to build the pipe so that it may fit anticipated needs throughout the years.

"What you want to do is build but not overbuild and the last thing anyone would want to do, even the folks out there who are opposed to this, want is to see this happen again," he said. "You want to have a project that can address the generational needs of New England not just the needs in the next five years."

Fore said whether the pipe is 30 inches or 36 inches, it will have the same environmental impact.

"The amount of land needed is no different between the sizes," he said. "If you believe you may need the larger pipe it makes more sense to build the larger pipe."

Many opposed to the pipeline have safety concerns over it exploding or leaking gas. Fore said if the proper maintenance is practiced, this should not happen.

"There are millions of miles of pipeline through the country and much like roads and bridges, they are part of our infrastructure," he said. "If you properly maintain your infrastructure, you are going to have a safe system and that is what companies need to do."

Fore said he believes Kinder Morgan's history speaks for itself.

"Certainly we are not a perfect company, no company is perfect, but I think if you look at what we do as the largest pipeline operator in the country and what we have done in the region, we have a very good record."

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