The Monkton Select Board has written a letter to the Pubic Service Board strongly opposing the current route of the VT Gas pipeline through the Town of Monkton.
The Monkton Select Board suggests that as a matter of public safety and health that all high pressure gas pipelines through the Town of Monkton maintain a minimum of a 300 foot set back from the gas pipeline Right of Way to any habitable building, a minimum of a 300 foot set back from the gas pipeline Right of Way to any registered well and further that the pipeline be buried a minimum of 48 inches below the current grade. With respect to the depth of burial we are particularly concerned with the pipelines that are buried near or close to water run off ditches maintained by the Town of Monkton. The Monkton Select Board also suggests that disturbance of any current buried electrical service be avoided.
The Town of Monkton is also currently actively engaged with the Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT) on the construction of an amphibian crossing that would be impacted by this route. The project is AOT Monkton STPEH08(4) and is intended to protect a wide variety of animal species, in particular the Blue-Spotted Salamander and Spotted Salamander – both of which are listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need.
Given all of these factors, the Monkton Select Board does not support a VT Gas pipeline route that uses the Town of Monkton road Right of Way. The VT Gas had originally proposed a route that followed the VELCO Right of Way which we feel would be better able to meet the public safety and health guidelines mentioned above.
The Town of Monkton also believes that proper provisions should be made for wider distribution of service throughout the Town of Monkton.
The Monkton Select Board also included comments made by the Recreational Committee and a page from the petition submitted to the Select Board at the December 10, 2012 meeting.