[Bookshelf]

I have traversed a little known wilderness in Arizona and found an underground gasline passes through there. I would have never known it if there had not been small unobtrusive signs to tell me what was underfoot. I think the same thing could happen with the two WVa pipelines.

[chrisser]

We live in WV and have a pipeline slated to go through our property.

Presumably unlike AZ, WV is heavily forested. Wherever the pipeline goes will be a deforested cut through that will be maintained in perpetuity. It will be very obvious, especially since the state is finally recovering from being nearly clearcut a century ago - ironically again for the benefit of the NorthEast and "progress".

These pipelines are quite a different animal than the natural gas developments of previous decades. Most people in WV don't own the mineral rights to their property (they were sold in the last century) and accept that they may end up with a well on their property at some point. But the wells are generally very small footprint with little impact, and free gas is usually part of the deal. Likewise with the small pipelines that have traversed the area in the past.

These new pipelines are large and high pressure. They require extensive excavation, road widening and redirection, multiple access pathways and large clearcuts. I think you're going to see a lot of pushback after it's too late and these lines are in place. There's been amazingly little publicity about what's happening both nationally and locally.

Frankly, the "jobs" benefit is a joke. In our little town of 800, we expect a brief influx of 1500 people. There's no local hiring happening (construction starts next month). We'll have to deal with the trucks and traffic and the logistical nightmare of the town tripling in size, and then they'll be gone. Maybe the gas station and restaurant will benefit, but it will be temporary and more of a PITA to everyone else.