As they prepare to begin working with Constitution Gas on their proposed pipeline, Middleburgh town officials have gone on record as not wanting to talk with Kinder Morgan, the latest pipeline seeking a route through Schoharie County.
Board members at their meeting on Thursday, April 9 heard that Constitution Pipeline officials have asked for two driveway permits on Keyser Road. They need the permits in order to get onto fields when they begin pipeline installation.
Highway Superintendent Dale Nunamann has requested that Constitution do no open cuts on Keyser Road. Instead of open cuts, crews will bore under the road to install the pipeline.
"We're not going to have more from what they are telling me," Mr. Nunamann told board members.
Boring under the road will be more expensive for the company but will be better in the long run for the town, he added.
He gave Constitution's officials a copy of the town road specifications and regulations.
Constitution will have to build roads from the driveway entrances to get onto the fields, he added.
On Bixby Road, the company will be going off a county road.
It is not known when work will start.
"They're working like they're getting ready to start," Mr. Nunamann said.
Supervisor Jim Buzon noted that the project will not be started until the "DEC signs off on it."
As for the other pipeline company seeking a route through the county, Kinder-Morgan, town board members agreed not to meet or speak with those officials.
Kinder-Morgan officials contacted town representatives. Mr. Buzon told them that he would not speak to them until he met with the rest of the town board.
Everyone agreed not to have contact with the company.
"As highway superintendent, I'm not meeting with them," Mr. Nunamann said.
"They want to do things to get on your good side. I just don't play that game."
Kinder-Morgan is seeking FERC approval to build a high-pressure natural gas pipeline from northern Pennsylvania to the Wright compressor station.