Editor,
A recent guest column (“Respect the Hill Country,” July 22) mischaracterized the Permian Highway natural gas pipeline as a “perilous and unprecedented threat to the Texas Hill Country.” This is an unfortunate and inaccurate depiction that overlooks not only the importance of the project, but also the extensive permitting and approval process modern pipelines like Permian Highway undergo. Further, industry innovation, advanced technology, and trusted approaches to new development have continued to bolster the safety and efficiency of the construction process.
With nearly four decades of experience in the oil and gas industry, I can attest to the growing pains that come with building largescale infrastructure projects. But trusting in the skilled craftsmanship of Texas’s workforce and the thorough regulatory processes in place is key to progress and expanding the network that helps heat and power our homes and businesses and literally fuels the economy.
Once completed, Permian Highway will join at least 7 other pipelines in Hays County that operate seamlessly day-in and day-out, 365 days a year, largely without notice. The environment surrounding the line will undergo a comprehensive restorative process that minimizes any potential impact and returns the land as closely as possible to its original state.
Rather than propagating fear and skepticism around the project, it is important we stick to the facts. Modern pipelines like Permian Highway are the safest, most efficient, and most environmentally-conscious method of transporting the energy that Texans rely on each and every day.
Bill Godsey, Houston Geoscientist and Former Geologist with Railroad Commission of Texas
