Colonial Pipeline Co., Atlanta, has shelved its long delayed refined products pipeline spur from southern Georgia into northern Florida.
The company cited environmental concerns and economic roadblocks hoisted by a lobby group funded by Floridian marine shipping interests in its decision to indefinitely delay the project.
Colonial has sought for 6 years to lay a 12 in., 64 mile products line from its system at Bainbridge, Ga., to a proposed tank farm operated by Texaco Inc. in Jefferson County, Fla., about 15 miles south of the state line.
In addition to fierce opposition in Florida, the project ran afoul of right-of-way and land use concerns in Georgia (OGJ, Mar. 14, Newsletter).
Colonial Pres. and Chief Executive Officer Donald Brinkley said his company will explore alternative methods to link Jefferson County with other U.S. pipelines. Almost all of Florida's refined products are delivered by barge or tanker at present.
LOBBY EFFORT DECRIED
"We have long been aware of a well funded, antipipeline lobbying campaign by the Florida Alliance, an association of shipping companies that operates at Port Everglades in Southeast Florida," Brinkley said. "Although pipelines are a safer and less expensive way to deliver petroleum products, this powerful lobbying group is trying to protect its shipping members at the expense of the public."
Colonial said the Broward County Commission last August agreed to spend $250,000 to help fund lobbying against pipelines hundreds of miles away in North and West Florida.
"It is hard to believe that in today's belt-tightening economy, taxpayer dollars would be used to lobby in support of shipping petroleum products on Florida's fragile waterways," Brinkley said.
"For every 1,000 gal of petroleum products moved through pipelines, spills account for only 2 oz, and as much as 90% of that is removed through recovery operations. You certainly can't find that level of environmental safety with marine transporters of petroleum.
"Along with delays we have experienced in obtaining construction permits, the recent permit suspension for Florida Gas Transmission Co.'s natural gas pipeline and the opposition by some citizens and officials to a proposed petroleum pipeline from Tampa to Fort Myers convinced us that the attitude toward pipelines in Florida is clearly unfavorable."
