SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. — Last night’s Shepherdstown town council meeting was highlighted by the discussion on the controversial natural gas pipeline that would bring natural gas from Pennsylvania into the Eastern Panhandle.
Shepherdstown Mayor Jim Auxer told attendees at the start of the meeting that they needed to get through the planned agenda before discussing the pipeline though the majority who filled the Shepherdstown Community Club was there for that topic.
Many members of the Eastern Panhandle Protectors were in attendance including Tracy Cannon who addressed the crowd saying that the proposed pipeline “doesn’t fit with Shepherdstown’s comprehensive plan”.
Fellow Eastern Panhandle Protector member Laura Bayer echoed Cannon’s comments voicing her concerns over the possible affects the pipeline could have on the economic growth of the town.
“I feel like this growth is not going to keep this community a small town,” said Bayer. “It’s just going to keep expanding and expanding and expanding and then we are going to keep polluting resources.
Brent Walls is the Upper Potomac Riverkeeper with the Potomac Riverkeeper Network. He also addressed the crowd and answered questions at the hearing. Walls spoke about protecting the river water and the environment that he says many people depend on.
“The life cycle of gas is more environmentally unfriendly than coal itself,” said Walls “And so that’s the kind of misinformation that we want to bring to the table.”
Walls’ 12-year old son, Riley, was also in attendance to voice his concerns over keeping the water clean.
“We need clean water. Without clean water, we would basically be extinct,” said Riley. “Because clean water is what you need to grow crops and you need food to survive.”
Eric Lewis, President of the Jefferson County Development Authority, spoke at the hearing and he was one of the few in attendance who was in favor of bringing the natural gas pipeline into the Eastern Panhandle.
Lewis said the JCDA’s interest in the pipeline has been in the works for years and they have been a part of the process for the sole reason of economic development.
“We have belief that we’ve worked out all the details and that it’s going to be a positive for our community and not a negative and that there’s not any downside,” said Lewis. “We’re hopeful that it goes through.”
At the meeting’s conclusion, Mayor Auxer said that there would be no decision tonight and they will consult with the city’s water board.
“The water board is in charge of our water intake which is the Potomac,” said Mayor Auxer. “So, they’re very careful about this and we will get some information from them.”
Auxer also applauded the attendees for keeping the discussion civil for the most part.