Following a proposal earlier this year to connect a projected 10-mile pipeline cutting through Monroe and Loudon counties to serve local manufacturing plant Tate & Lyle in its planned conversion from existing coal-fired boilers to natural gas, East Tennessee Natural Gas LLC has since added additional pathways in response to local scoping comments and data requested by the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

According to an FERC notice of intent sent out July 28, the currently proposed route, titled G-1, will begin in Monroe County and follow the original pathway to milepost 1.5, cross under Highway 72 eastward and run parallel to the road to milepost 3.1. The route will then be linked up with the existing Loudon-Lenoir City lateral pipeline.

“This revised route is a result of preliminary field work performed and stakeholder feedback received by ETNG,” Devin Hotzel, Spectra Energy manager of stakeholder outreach, said in an email correspondence. “The revised route travels along the east side of Highway 72 and west of the Rarity Bay peninsula.”


Two other alternative routes, called G and Eastside, follow a path similar to G-1, but are located slightly farther east. All three routes cross Tellico Lake, according to the report.

The final route, B, will begin at the same location but head west of the other routes, avoid Tellico Lake and run parallel the Loudon-Lenoir City lateral pipeline. FERC is seeking comments on the environmental concerns pertaining to the proposed routes. The scoping period deadline is Aug. 27.

“As a result of the application process with the FERC, ETNG has been actively reviewing and evaluating various routes for this proposed project and held a public information meeting on May 11, 2015, in Vonore, TN,” Hotzel said. “... This revised route is a result of preliminary field work performed and stakeholder feedback received by ETNG.”

Spectra Energy owns East Tennessee Natural Gas and is based in Houston. Hotzel said if the FERC approves the project, construction could begin in the “late first quarter of 2016,” with an in-service date in September 2016.

According to the FERC notice of intent, the environmental issues currently identified are waterbodies, karst geology, including caves and threatened or endangered species.

“During these evaluations ETNG focuses on selecting a route which will minimize the impact to the environment and surrounding community,” Hotzel said. “As such, on July 10, 2015, ETNG submitted a supplemental filing to the FERC with updated information on the incorporation of a revision to the preferred pipeline route.”

An application was originally filed Feb. 20 to the FERC, which serves as a regulatory body for projects similar to the current project in Loudon County. The application was formally recognized by the FERC on March 2. The proposed pathway included 10 miles of 12-inch diameter pipeline and about 6 1/2 miles of the 10 miles were adjacent to the existing rights-of-way.

According to a notice sent in March, work is expected to entail installation of a tap and an internal inspection tool to link with an existing mainline owned by East Tennessee Natural Gas in Monroe County, a new meter station and other facilities toward the end of the mainline extension at Tate & Lyle and a regulator valve at the existing meter station in Loudon County.

Loudon County officials have said the gas line will add 16,000 dekatherms of capacity to the current limit of 500 dekatherms.

“Loudon County’s availability of natural gas is constrained due to existing demand and size of the pipeline,” Loudon County Economic Development Agency Executive Director Pat Phillips said in an email correspondence. “This constraint limits the types of manufacturing businesses that we would be interested in attracting.”

Loudon County Mayor Rollen “Buddy” Bradshaw said he was pleased with East Tennessee Natural Gas representatives listening to property owners’ concerns and suggestions.

“I know that there were several friends of mine who live in Monroe County,” Bradshaw said. “You know, it was going across some of their property, I think, to where they’ve got it now they’ve pretty much made for the most part people happy as far as the property is going to go across, and I think it’s commendable for them to listen to the residents who this affects.

“I think that’s a great deal,” he added. “That way it ensures me that if there were some objections in Loudon County they’d be willing to listen to the people with them.”

To make a comment on the proposed routes, call 202-502-8258 or send an email at efiling@ferc.gov. Comments may also be made online at http://www.ferc.gov using the eFiling featured in the “Documents and Filings” section.