Pipeline's impacts on Appalachian Trail raise concerns - Roanoke Times

<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="7" style="vertical-align:top;"><tr><td width="80" align="center" valign="top"><font style="font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNGFkdMmf0xvI4HcxXgUK kiPuMgPag&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&ci d=52779362011903&ei=utWLWKilC8HeqQL0y5WIDQ&url=htt p://www.roanoke.com/business/news/pipeline-s-impacts-on-appalachian-trail-raise-concerns/article_c536b260-ea3a-55d7-b11e-9e037d2ab252.html"><img src="//t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQU72pVH8DyPcKnZRXeWRTOzkwfHigpA 2ThWZK_Sjyvl-I9VREqh7dLNtBLwFxZDr6vPyhcb_78" alt="" border="1" width="80" height="80"><br><font size="-2">Roanoke Times</font></a></font></td><td valign="top" class="j"><font style="font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serif"><br><div style="padding-top:0.8em;"><img alt="" height="1" width="1"></div><div class="lh"><a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&ct2=us&usg=AFQjCNGFkdMmf0xvI4HcxXgUK kiPuMgPag&clid=c3a7d30bb8a4878e06b80cf16b898331&ci d=52779362011903&ei=utWLWKilC8HeqQL0y5WIDQ&url=htt p://www.roanoke.com/business/news/pipeline-s-impacts-on-appalachian-trail-raise-concerns/article_c536b260-ea3a-55d7-b11e-9e037d2ab252.html"><b>Pipeline&#39;s impacts on <b>Appalachian Trail</b> raise concerns</b></a><br><font size="-1"><b><font color="#6f6f6f">Roanoke Times</font></b></font><br><font size="-1">Representatives from the Wilderness Society, the <b>Appalachian Trail</b> Conservancy, the Virginia Wilderness Committee and concerned residents of Montgomery County, Giles County and Monroe County, W.Va., hike back down from the crest of Peters Mountain&nbsp;...</font><br><font size="-1" class="p"></font><br><font class="p" size="-1"><a class="p" href="http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=d721UHOvUbL08mM&authuser=0&ned=us"><nobr> <b>and more&nbsp;&raquo;</b></nobr></a></font></div></font></td></tr></table>

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You can't draw a line over 2000 miles long across the country and expect that you aren't going to have utilities cross that line many, many times. Pipelines, power lines, etc, etc are going to cross the AT. You can't expect them to build the pipeline by going around a trail that is 2000 miles long.

And for the benefit of all those people who are adamantly against building new pipelines as if they are some new evil traversing the land, we already have pipelines going everywhere:

http://www.sawyoo.com/postpic/2010/1...tes_414664.jpg

Where a pipeline or power line crosses the trail makes a big difference. Crossing at an existing road or near a current pipeline or power line, concentrating the impacts, is far different than putting the pipeline through the middle of a roadless stretch of trail.

These examples don't show real planned locations for this pipeline, but would you like a trench dug across Roan Mountain, or would it be better near the chemical plant and landfill just north of Pearisburg?

Once a pipeline is buried you will never know its there. They bury them across farmer's fields and they plow and grow crops right over top of them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bronk

Once a pipeline is buried you will never know its there.

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Not true in the case of woods. They can't allow anything larger than head-high to grow in the corridor, and maintain road access suitable for raised 4WD pickups over any pipeline crossing of a mountain I've ever seen.

Non issue. bring it on. Maybe it will maybe it wont be noticeable. So what.

It would be far less expensive to dig a pipeline along an existing right of way than to forge a new one across the wilderness. That is what I expect to occur.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BlackCloud

It would be far less expensive to dig a pipeline along an existing right of way than to forge a new one across the wilderness. That is what I expect to occur.

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this of coarse is the most logical and probable plan if it happens

From the ATC

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/home...-west-virginia

The entire issue of Viewscape does nothing for me. I seems like ATC mission creep. The AT is very busy because of the ATC's tireless promotion. I wish they would do less, not get involved in non trail issues.

In 5 or 10 years you'll never know the pipeline is there.

Utility line crossings are (almost/humorously) the only view spots in PA.

Hey guys, thanks for the feedback. I want to reiterate that I do not plan to oppose all pipelines or energy infrastructure. My house runs on Natural Gas after all, but there is a right way and a wrong way to do everything. I am working to promote the best way to site a pipeline across federal land protected for the AT.

Speaking directly to Bamboo Bob: If I didn't think this was a big deal, and an avoidable impact to the scenery of this National Scenic Trail, I certainly would fill my time with other stuff.

to Bronk: I think I mentioned that there were currently 58 pipelines that cross the AT. Most of them you won't know were there because we were able to work with the construction company to site them appropriately. We do the same with powerline projects, although the results might be less noticeable.

Again, I appreciate the feedback.

Andrew Downs, ATC Virginia Regional Director (and '02 thru-hiker)

I agree with Andrew Downs and Patrickjd9.

Would any of you want a company you don't own stocks in to put a visible pipeline in your own backyard? Most of us citizens don't own a house with a large backyard. The wilderness is our only backyard. Why would we want a company to put an industrial eyesore on the only beautiful place we call home?

p.s. the reason Mountain Valley Pipeline won't consider alternatives is because they want to save money. At our expense.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bronk

In 5 or 10 years you'll never know the pipeline is there.

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With the exception of the denuded easement scar where trees are missing much like power line cuts. Farmers fields easily hide this infrastructure, forests no so much.

Really.......reallly silly. Man is the greatest parasite on this planet.