MEDIA ADVISORY
October 3, 2022
CONTACT
Gabi Lichtenstein, Tennessee Energy Democracy Field Coordinator, (845) 518-3033, gabi@appvoices.org
Dan Radmacher, Media Specialist, (540) 798-6683, dan@appvoices.org
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — This Wednesday, community members from Jackson and Putnam counties will be at the Cookeville High School to tell decision-makers how they feel about a proposed gas pipeline in their communities. Enbridge Inc. — a multinational pipeline giant based in Canada — has proposed building a 125-mile pipeline to carry so-called “natural gas” through Middle and East Tennessee. The pipeline would cut through eight Tennessee counties and deliver gas to the Kingston Fossil Plant if the Tennessee Valley Authority converts it to gas.
While Enbridge intends to profit from this project, rural Tennesseans have much to lose. If the pipeline contaminates groundwater or surface water during construction, rural communities could lose access to clean water for drinking and farming. Public safety could be threatened if the pipeline were to explode — like Enbridge’s existing pipeline in Smith County did in 2018. In Kentucky, another Enbridge gas pipeline exploded in 2019, tragically killing one woman, injuring six people and destroying five homes. While the vast majority of pipeline jobs are temporary, these risks to our communities are long-term.
This pipeline would also put important cultural resources in our region at risk. In Jackson County alone, the pipeline would cut through Fort Blount, which is on the National Register of Historic Places; the Flynn Creek Impact Crater, which is one of the best-preserved ancient impact craters on earth; and possibly Indigenous historic sites, as records indicate their presence near the pipeline route.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is holding a series of scoping meetings this week, including the meeting in Cookeville, to gather public comment that will inform its analysis of the proposed pipeline’s environmental impacts. This analysis will help FERC decide whether to approve Enbridge’s pipeline.
Below are the dates for the FERC scoping meetings. Please feel free to reach out if you have any additional questions.
Roane County
Monday, October 3, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. ET
Kingston Community Center
Kingston, Tennessee
Trousdale County
Tuesday, October 4, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. CT
Trousdale Community Center
Hartsville, Tennessee
Putnam County
Wednesday, October 5, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. CT
Cookeville High School
Cookeville, Tennessee
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Appalachian Voices is a leading nonprofit advocate for a healthy environment and just economy in the Appalachian region, and a driving force in America’s shift from fossil fuels to a clean energy future.
