JEFF GEARINO Southwest Wyoming bureau | Posted: Monday, January 14, 2008 12:00 am
GREEN RIVER - Most every day, trucks carrying liquid natural gas make the 240-mile round-trip from LaBarge to Jackson to bring heating fuel for Jackson-area homes.
Those trucks won't see near as much travel after Bridger-Teton National Forest officials approved construction of a natural gas pipeline from Sublette to Teton counties.
The new pipeline for Lower Valley Energy is expected to dramatically increase Jackson's supply of natural gas, according to federal officials.
The pipeline route will cross under the Hoback River nine times as it moves through some rugged terrain, planners said. The pipeline is mostly on Forest Service lands, with pieces on state and private lands.
Officials said in most places, the pipeline will be located along, but just outside, of U.S. Highway 189/191 as it runs through Hoback Canyon.
Planners said the river crossings are necessary because the slopes on either side of the Hoback River are too steep in places. They said state regulations also prevent the pipeline from being hung from bridges.
Big Piney District Ranger Greg Clark and Jackson District Ranger Dale Deiter signed the decision record approving the project in a final environmental impact statement issued earlier this month.
The 49.7-mile-long pipeline will bring natural gas service to Jackson from a location near Merna.
The buried pipeline would mostly run alongside - but not in - the Wyoming Department of Transportation's right of way along the highway between Pinedale and Jackson.
The current gas supply for the Lower Valley Energy's distribution system is a liquid natural gas facility located in Jackson. The pipeline would transport up to 3 million cubic feet of gas per day.
Officials said tanker trucks currently transport liquid natural gas from Exxon's Shute Creek facility near LaBarge to the Jackson facility. Each truck carries about 10,000 gallons, which translates to about 830,000 standard cubic feet of natural gas.
Lower Valley officials said the long-term supplies necessary to meet the needs of the company's customers in the Jackson area are available in northern Sublette County.
Officials contend moving the gas by pipeline is considered safer than by truck because trucks traveling on mountain or canyon highways are frequently involved in crashes and accidents. They noted that between 2000 and 2003, there were between 392 and 492 trips per year and by 2010, that traffic is expected to increase to 655 trips per year.
Company officials said the pipeline is also expected to improve the protection of the environment by reducing the effects on air quality from tanker truck emissions.
In addition to the nine crossings of the Hoback River, the pipeline will cross the Upper Hoback River and Cliff Creek once each.
The decision record said an estimated 150 to 200 workers would be needed to install the pipeline and ancillary facilities over the estimated six-month life of the project.
Southwest Wyoming bureau reporter Jeff Gearino can be reached at 307-875-5359 or at gearino@tribcsp.com.