Gas Pipeline Tests OK'd
Friday, January 11, 2008
By Sandra E. Constantine

SOUTH HADLEY - The Conservation Commission has approved a Bay State Gas Co. plan to do test borings as part of its exploring running a gas line under the Connecticut River.

The utility would like to build an 11.7-mile natural gas pipeline from Granby through South Hadley under the Connecticut River and through Holyoke to Easthampton and Northampton. Bay State Gas Co. Officials have proposed the project to meet the growing demand for service in Easthampton and Northampton.

Jeffrey O'Donnell, project manager with the engineering firm Coler & Colantonio, told the commission the utility wants to do horizontal drillings 70 feet below the bottom of the river to get an idea of subsurface conditions.

Plans call for two test borings in the river as well as one at Brunelle's Marina and another one on conservation land off Ferry Street. O'Donnell said the utility is also seeking permission from the Holyoke Conservation Commission to do six test borings on the Holyoke side of the river.

Conservation Commission member W. Bradford Allen said he would expect any damage done by the drilling to be repaired.

O'Donnell said holes will be backfilled and debris will be removed. The river test borings will be done from a rig mounted on a barge, he said.
John S. Bryant, Mount Holyoke College director of facilities management, said the college will allow the utility access across any of its property affected by the test borings.

O'Donnell said the project will have no adverse effects on wildlife protected under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act. The test borings are expected to take 28 working days and are largely dependent on the weather, according to O'Donnell.

Marc A. Brunelle of 4 Alvord St. expressed hope that the new gas line will allow his home and some others in his neighborhood to get natural gas service.

Bay State Gas Co. officials hope to determine the route of the proposed pipeline by mid-year in time to file a request with the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board by the third quarter of the year with the idea of breaking ground by early 2010. They are hopeful of completing the project by the end of 2010.

The Conservation Commission authorized the test borings by a 5-0 vote.