Guilford County Commissioners pass resolution on Transco’s Southeast Supply Enhancement Project

GREENSBORO, NC - Last night, on World Environment Day, the Guilford County Commissioners unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution, asking for a more thorough analysis of the proposed Southeast Supply Enhancement Project (SSEP).

Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC — a subsidiary of Williams Companies commonly referred to as Transco — wants to construct 54 miles of methane gas pipeline and expand or modify compressor stations in five states. Guilford County is the third largest county in North Carolina, and the site of the proposed start of SSEP’s “Salem Loop,” which would add roughly 24 miles of 42-inch pipe in Guilford, Forsyth and Davidson Counties if permitted and built.

Guilford County encouraged FERC to “require a comprehensive Environmental Assessment (EA) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that rigorously evaluates all potential risks and alternatives to the proposed pipeline expansion.” The commissioners’ resolution is the second of its kind– the town of Midway voted to oppose the project on May 5, urging Transco “to thoroughly investigate the option of a no-build alternative and to publicly report the findings with full detail and transparency.”

The commissioner’s focus on safety concerns comes as news comes out that the controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline fired an inspector for reporting corrosion of the pipe that could have led to an explosion. MVP’s Southgate extension would run parallel to SSEP.

In response, the Sierra Club, 7 Directions of Service, Haw River Assembly, and Mothers Out Front released the following statements:

“Transco cannot continue to claim this proposed project is in the public interest when so much of the public opposes it. First, Midway, now Guilford County– the tide is turning on support for dirty methane gas infrastructure. The public, and now elected officials are seeing through corporate greenwashing and projects that doesn’t benefit local residents,” said Caroline Hansley, Campaign Organizing Strategist with Sierra Club. “The proposed SSEP project is dangerous and unnecessary. We hope other communities continue this trend of taking action to protect and defend their residents.”

“The Guilford Commissioners’ resolution proves the power we have as everyday people, said Dr. Crystal Cavalier-Keck, Co-Founder of 7 Directions of Service. “Educating our neighbors, making calls, and giving public comments have brought to light the needless risks Transco’s SSEP poses, and the Commissioners thankfully chose to respond to the facts before them in a meaningful way. There are more towns and counties facing SSEP, and it’s time those elected leaders look at the facts, listen to their constituents and pass a No SSEP resolution!”

"It's a testament to the power of community. Folks all across Guilford, from Oak Ridge to Greensboro, have been coming together to educate, organize, and take action," said Aidan Loretz, Community Organizer with Haw River Assembly and 7 Directions of Service. "It's easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless when facing massive projects in your community like the SSEP. I've seen firsthand how a diverse, united coalition of people across our county can work together to create change."

“Mothers across North Carolina are speaking up because this project puts our children’s health and safety at risk,” said Jenny Zimmer, Guilford county parent and Co-Executive Director of Mothers Out Front. “Pipelines like SSEP threaten the air our kids breathe, the water they drink, and the communities they call home. Guilford County’s resolution demanding a real assessment of how dirty methane projects will impact our community shows what is possible when families come together to protect what matters most. We urge other local leaders to pass resolutions against the SSEP and put our children first.”