A proposed natural gas pipeline will cut through hundreds of private properties in Georgia and Mississippi, raising concerns among landowners. The project is driven by Georgia Power's need for more natural gas, largely for new data centers. Landowners are worried about permanent property damage, tree removal, and erosion. Perry Wells, who has owned 200 acres of forested land in Bolingbroke, Georgia for 30 years, faces a new challenge: another gas pipeline that may cut a mile through 10 acres of his land and uproot more trees holding the soil together. The pipeline, known as South System Expansion 4 (SSE4), is a joint project between Southern Natural Gas (SNG) and Elba Express Company (EEC), both owned by Kinder Morgan, which transports nearly half of the nation's natural gas. The pipeline will run parallel and within feet of SNG's existing 6,900-mile South Main Line. The project has already acquired a third of 1,800 land tracts and will restore most of the land back to its former use after construction. However, forested land will face an altered future, and potential remediation could include compensation for the value of the cleared timber. Wells is concerned about the impact on his forest and the potential loss of hardwoods, which hold more value than timber. He received a warning by mail about the new pipeline, which directed him to an online FAQ and public comment opportunities. Wells attended public information meetings but found the information difficult to parse due to complex abbreviations and terminology. The project will disturb about 4,646 acres, and the company has relationships with many of the landowners, sometimes for generations. The pipeline can acquire land via eminent domain, but the gas companies' filings indicate that acquisition does not guarantee a mutual agreement. The project will likely end in Augusta, where a local church has also received FERC notices. Despite concerns, Wells and other landowners are reluctant to take a stance against the project, as they are already resigned to the pipeline's path.
