by Sloanne Petersen

The possibility of a pipeline expansion coming through Guilford County gathered a group of environmental activists to speak to the county commissioners about passing a resolution to stop the expansion. The group was organized by Caroline Hansley-Mace, a senior field organizer with Greenpeace, a global campaigning network that has an emphasis on environmental activism. When asked about how she started getting involved with environmental activism, Hansley-Mace stated, “I started organizing as a student on my college campus. I worked to shut down the coal plant at the University of Richmond, and we won! So, I kept organizing and got hired to do this work after graduating by Greenpeace.” Her campaign, along with individuals at the Seven Directions of Service, gathered a large group of individuals that felt moved to go plea with the commissioners to pass a resolution to keep this pipeline out of Guilford County. 

The Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company (Transco), owned by The Williams Companies, seeks to extend their pipeline into North Carolina. This extension is a part of the Southeast Supply Enhancement Project (SSEP) and is projected to transport an additional 1.6 million dekatherms of gas per day. 

The burning of all of this gas would produce hundreds of millions of metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Transco continues to make the claim that “increasing gas supply is good for the climate because gas replaces coal fired power on the grid.” When only comparing gas and coal, burning gas does produce less carbon dioxide than if one were to burn coal, but that does not mean we should be working toward burning more gas. Methane, which is the main ingredient in this pipeline’s natural gas, is 80-times more destructive than carbon dioxide to our atmosphere’s thermoregulating abilities. These gases are not just released when burnt, but also when they are drilled and throughout their entire journey through the pipeline. This is a large-scale devastation that does not need to be brought through Guilford County. 

Dr. Sandra Cooke, a biology professor here at Greensboro College, is very passionate about getting this resolution passed. When asked about how this pipeline could affect our campus’s natural environment, she believes that “this pipeline project could affect our drinking water because the proposed route traverses inflowing creeks to Lake Higgins and Lake Brandt, which are two of Greensboro’s water supply reservoirs. Similar pipeline projects have caused problems to municipal drinking water sources. For example, construction of a Dominion Energy pipeline in South Carolina resulted in illegal sediment discharge that clogged intake pipes and forced the Woodruff Roebuck Water District to purchase water from another utility for its thousands of customers.” Her insight into how this could affect our daily lives is something that everyone should take into consideration.  

With the resources we have available, we should be working towards building more renewable forms of energy, not more pipelines that will just push our climate crisis past the point of no return. Transco and many other companies that make a profit off of these gas sales claim that renewable energy is too expensive and unreliable. If we continue to listen to those who benefit from the destruction of our planet, we will never see the end of this environmental catastrophe.  

The only way we can prevent this pipeline from making its way into Guilford County is to pass this resolution. Hansley-Mace says that if you want to help, please email your County Commissioners to ask them to pass a resolution, this Spring, opposing the pipeline; “Whatever folks can do will help, it is not too late. The more people that show up to our meetings, contact their elected officials, the better!”  

Dr. Cooke encourages all students to contact your county commissioners and state legislators and let them know you oppose the Transco SSEP project because it could threaten your drinking water: If you live on campus, your commissioners are Carly Cooke (336-252-8766) and Kay Cashion (336) 274-6272. Your NC House rep is Pricey Harrison (336-274-5574) and your NC senate rep is Gladys A. Robinson (919-715-3042). Help make a difference and take action.