Georgia: "DOT Commissioner rejects Palmetto Pipeline"

"Ga. Department of Transportation Commissioner Russell McMurry today denied Kinder Morgan’s application for a public needs certificate. Without it, the energy company cannot condemn property along the proposed 210-mile Palmetto Pipeline route in Georgia.

“After careful consideration of information in the application submitted by Kinder Morgan on behalf of Palmetto; numerous public comments submitted at seven public meetings held by Palmetto; two public hearings hosted by the Georgia DOT; and approximately 3,000 public comments submitted online and by mail to myself and the Utilities staff, the Department has determined that it will not issue a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity,” McMurry said in a written statement.

The $1 billion project would route gasoline, ethanol and diesel from the Gulf Coast and from South Carolina to North Augusta, Savannah and Jacksonville, taking a buried steel pipeline through about 600 private tracts of land in a dozen Georgia counties along the Savannah River and down the coast. The company must get a needs certificate before it can apply to the state Environmental Protection Division for an environmental assessment of the route, the second piece needed before it can exercise the power of eminent domain. "

Mary Landers reports for the Savannah Morning News May 19, 2015.