Town supervisors in the community of Dallas, PA  have come under attack recently from activists who have parlayed their opposition to hydraulic fracturing into a campaign aimed at opposing anything and everything that even mildly relates to the energy industry.

In Dallas,  Chief Oil & Gas and Williams are proposing to set up a gathering line and metering station needed to get natural gas to market, and track the amount that gets there. As anyone who’s actually seen a gathering line and/or metering station can tell you, these things are about as far from conspicuous as it gets. Nonetheless, our friends over at the Gas Drilling Awareness Coalition — unaware that a metering station has nothing to do with “gas drilling” — have made this particular issue a top priority, attempting to stir up controversy over what would be regarded anywhere else on earth as a non-controversial project. 

Just as it seems a deal is finally on the horizon, the anti-gas community launched yet another effort to rally support for its agenda.  This time the “rebel yell” came in the form of an open letter published in a local newspaper by the Dallas-Taxpayer Group. The letter, like so many other pieces of propaganda, is filled with mistruths and distortions.  Thankfully, GDAC still only represents the fringe of the fringe in Dallas Twp. The proof? Of the 9,000 plus residents that live in Dallas Twp, this article from the Citizens Voice reports that only 50 people attended Tuesday’s hearing.

Like so many other anti-groups,  GDAC uses fear in an attempt to coerce their neighbors and friends to join their cause.  This can clearly be seen in the wonderful example of hyperbole  in their press release on the proposed metering and gathering projects.  This really should be submitted to the creative writing departments at Penn State as an example of why editing is an important part of the writing process, but I digress. See the below  exagerated images of explosions and leakages they put out for public consumption.

Wherever there are Pipelines, also come Metering, Compressor Stations
& other industrial activities that threaten quality-of-life & property values.
(text continued below pictures)

Pipeline Fires & Explosions are more likely where there is more activity. The Natural Gas Industry needs to be regulated by us, not them or minority of leasers. DEMAND your government officials protect your family & property from these & all industrial activities that are NOT Residential or Agricultural.

http://www.gdacoalition.org/

The real irony of this whole situation is the fact that Williams has had a transmission line running under Dallas Twp for decades. Known as the Transco pipeline, it has operated without any trouble or opposition — or even much local knowledge that it even exists.

Unlike gathering lines (like the one being proposed), transmission lines are much bigger in size (sometimes having ROW areas of up to 75 ft) and are used to transport large qualities of natural gas. Generally speaking, gathering lines feed into transmission lines which require metering stations to measure the amount of gas that is being fed into the larger system. This is relevant because the anti-gas community constantly tries to make metering stations out to be dirty operations and potentially hazardous time bombs. This couldn’t be farther from the truth as this video will show:

http://youtu.be/nBe9inZMILc

It is important to note the metering station in the video is in operation. Notice in the video how you didn’t hear a peep.  Also, this doesnt seem to be a very dirty place at all, quite the opposite very orderly and clean. I guess the truth doesn’t matter when embellishment is your main goal.

Just another non-controversial project attempting to be demonized by the anti’s. Another sad but true story. Stay tuned for more coverage on this issue as a decision could be made on or before July 19th.

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