Houston, Houston, do you read? GDOT agrees with Push Back the Pipeline: there’s no Public Convenience and Necessity for the Palmetto Project. Kinder Morgan take your pipeline and go home. While you’re at it, Spectra take your Sabal trail pepeline and go home to Houston. Congratulations to Push Back the Pipeline on this great victory!

Whitney Harris, WTOC, today, Palmetto Pipeline: Kinder Morgan can’t take land – DETAILS HERE, also carried by WALB,

On Tuesday, The Georgia Department of Transportation announced it is not granting Kinder Morgan’s request for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity.

That would have allowed the company to invoke “eminent domain” to seize private owned land in order to build the Palmetto Pipeline.

In it’s official statement, GDOT said, “After careful consideration of information in the application submitted by Kinder Morgan on behalf of Palmetto; numerous public comments submitted at seven (7) public meetings held by Palmetto; two (2) public hearings hosted by the Georgia DOT; and approximately 3000 public comments submitted online and by mail to myself and the Utilities staff, the Department has determined that it will not issue a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity.”

Here’s the actual GDOT decision.

Kinder Morgan immediately posted PR, Kinder Morgan Responds to Georgia DOT Decision on Palmetto Pipeline,

HOUSTON—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE:KMI) today announced it received notification that the Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) declined its application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity associated with the proposed Palmetto Pipeline.

“We are disappointed with the outcome of our proceedings with the Georgia DOT. We believe that we have more than adequately demonstrated that this project is in the best interests of Georgia’s consumers, as it will result in lower costs and provide safer transportation of refined petroleum products to many areas in the Southeast, including specifically many communities in Georgia,” said Kinder Morgan Products Pipelines President Ron McClain. “The fact the proposed pipeline is fully supported by long-term commitments from multiple customers seeking safer and more efficient supply options, and that it was so vehemently opposed by certain existing refined petroleum suppliers with vested economic interests in maintaining the status quo of artificially higher prices, is itself compelling evidence that the pipeline will serve needs that are not being met by current supply options. We continue to believe in the viability of the project and its economic benefits to the Southeast region and Georgia in particular, and we plan to pursue all available options to move forward with the project,” said McClain.

Houston, Houston, do you read? Your pipeline is not needed or wanted in Georgia. Go home.

Thursday 7PM in Savannah at Coastal Group of GA Sierra Club, come hear why Georgia’s government should oppose Sabal Trail, as well.

-jsq

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