November 23, 2015

Ag Sector To Benefit From New Pipeline Infrastructure

CEPI_TW_800x320_d1A new study commissioned by CEPI member the Ohio State Grange finds that the agricultural sector across Ohio and Michigan stands to benefit significantly from the construction of safe, new pipeline infrastructure. The analysis, conducted by Dr. Gary Wolfram and Dr. Charles Steele of the Hillsdale Policy Group attributed the general lack of pipeline capacity as the key constraint to delivering natural gas from the Marcellus and Utica shale formations to market. With the necessary infrastructure improvements, natural gas has the potential to stabilize fluctuating energy prices and deliver a reliable source of power for generations to come.

“Natural gas is a major component of farming operations and expenses. Building new natural gas infrastructure can reduce costs for farmers by increasing access to affordable natural gas,” said Dr. Wolfram in an interview with the Detroit Business Journal.

Robert White, president of the Ohio State Grange told reporters that he currently has a pipeline buried under his own farm land and has never had any issues with it. “It is my belief, from observation, that the expansion of pipelines can be of great benefit to our farming community,” White said.

The white paper also examined the safety of a high pressure transmission lines and concluded that, “The risks associated with buried natural gas pipelines appear to us to be substantially less than alternatives such as truck or rail transport.”

This study builds upon mounting evidence that upgrading and expanding our energy infrastructure is the clear path forward.

Read the full study here and an article on its release in the Canton Repository here.