The Atlantic Sunrise pipeline is a project of Oklahoma-based Williams Partners. It’s one of many large-scale pipeline projects in the works in Pennsylvania.

Williams currently operates the Transco system which has over 10,000 miles of pipeline moving gas to other businesses, like utility companies and power plants.

The Atlantic Sunrise is a $3 billion expansion of the Transco system. It’s designed to move Marcellus Shale gas from Susquehanna County in northeastern Pennsylvania as far south as Alabama. If approved by federal regulators, it would cut through portions of 10 central Pennsylvania counties (Columbia, Lancaster, Lebanon, Luzerne, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Susquehanna, Wyoming, Clinton and Lycoming). It would carry the gas to markets along the eastern seaboard, including the Cove Point liquefied natural gas export terminal on the Chesapeake Bay.

The project has been met with considerable public push-back, especially in Lancaster County where nine protesters have been arrested.

In 2014, Williams began the pre-filing phase of the project with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)– the agency charged with siting and regulating interstate pipelines. Williams has already agreed to re-route about a quarter of the line in Pennsylvania based on public feedback.

Williams filed its formal application with FERC in March of 2015. If approved, it could be operational by mid-2017.

https://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/tag/atlantic-sunrise-pipeline/

Residents from Martic, Conestoga, West Hempfield, and Lancaster City gathered at Marticville Middle School on Tuesday, August 11th to prepare for the launch of the Protect PA Quilt Project. Malinda Clatterbuck of Martic SOUL led the gathering.

This is opposition to the Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline project.

Approximately 40 people gathered to get involved in the project and discuss outreach plans, quilting logistics, and quilt square creation.

http://www.wearelancastercounty.com/aug11quilt