County rescinds Permian Highway Pipeline permits

Hays County rescinded county road permits which allowed Kinder Morgan to install its Permian Highway Pipeline.

Following executive session on April 21, The Hays County Commissioners Court voted to immediately rescind the permits which allowed Kinder Morgan to cut through and drill underneath county roads.

Precinct 3 Commissioner Lon Shell said the motion is meant to prevent polluted groundwater wells which occurred in Blanco County when horizontal directional drilling damaged karst features and caused drilling fluids to enter the groundwater.

“My concern is especially for western Hays County because if karst features were impacted by boring it could take significant rainfall before contaminants are noticed in our groundwater,” Shell said in a statement. “I believe the pipeline company needs to better understand where various karst features are in order to protect our natural resources.”

Pct. 4 Commissioner (Dripping Springs) Walt Smith supported Shell’s motion and said, “I want to say thank you to my fellow Court Members, but no one more than Commissioner Lon A. Shell for bringing this important issue before our body yesterday. He has worked tirelessly for the people of Hays County and understands the implications of the actions of Kinder Morgan towards the property owners of our county. Looking out for our environment and the private property rights of our citizens is of the utmost importance and I appreciate his efforts and those of my colleagues.”

Specifically, the approved motion requires the permits to be rescinded until Kinder Morgan complies with the Texas Railroad Commission’s Notice of Violation for the damage done in Blanco County and provides a plan for moving forward that will prevent further impact to ground and surface water.

Shell also called upon Kinder Morgan to provide a detailed geology report for each proposed road crossing in Hays County to determine whether the site is underlaid by karst.

The Court also directed County staff to prepare and present a plan for the Court’s consideration outlining criteria for Kinder Morgan to follow so the company would be aware in advance of the County’s requirements. Shell noted that the plan could require the use of ground-penetrating radar that would show where to avoid karst features, as well as the mapping of groundwater wells in a one- or two-mile radius.

Kinder Morgan Vice President for Public Affairs Allen Fore said the company wasn’t aware that the county was going to make the move it did, however, Kinder Morgan wants to be in full compliance of what Hays County is requesting.

“It appears from our initial conversations with (county) staff that there may be additional information that is being asked for,” Fore said. “So, we’re going to work with them on providing that. I think commissioner Shell indicated that this is a pause in the process and we’re certainly considering it that.”

Shell is asking Kinder Morgan to provide a detailed geology report for each of its proposed road crossings in Hays County to determine whether the site is underlaid by karst. According to Kinder Morgan, the crossings affected by the county’s decision are located at Pump Station Road (CR218), Mt. Sharp Road (CR220) and Ledgerock Road (CR244).

Fore said work will not be happening in those areas but pipeline construction in the county will continue in other locations.

“It depends on where we are at a certain time (regarding) the construction the public would see,” Fore said. “But there will be other construction activities going on in Hays County but not at these crossings.”

Kinder Morgan, an energy infrastructure company specializing in oil and gas pipelines and terminals, has said that the Permian Highway Pipeline (PHP) will help increase natural gas production from the Permian Basin to the up-and-coming markets along the Texas Gulf Coast. The $2 billion, 42-inch natural gas pipeline is set to run through multiple counties including Hays, Gillespie and Blanco

Twitter: @Nick_Castillo74