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Elkins Rotary hears couple’s concerns regarding pipeline

The Inter-Mountain photo by Brooke Binns Local musicians Michael and Carrie Kline perform a melody for the Rotary Club of Elkins during Monday’s meeting at the Elkins/Randolph County YMCA.

ELKINS — Two local musicians and activists spoke to the Rotary Club of Elkins Monday about concerns they have regarding the Atlantic Coast Pipeline.

Michael and Carrie Kline, a husband and wife who said they are dedicated to the preservation and promotion of West Virginia’s heritage, shared their opinions on the potential effects of the pipeline during the Rotary Club’s weekly lunch meeting at the Elkins/Randolph County YMCA.

As part of the Mountain Lakes Preservation Alliance, a group of citizens working together to protect the culture, environment and heritage in West Virginia for future generations, the Klines encourage people to research the pipeline and present these ideas to friends, family and even politicians.

“Do your own research on what a pipeline can do to economic development,” Carrie Kline said. “I know people will say that we have had pipelines and we are standing in a region that is full of pipelines — it’s also full of gas wells, but they’re not horizontal, hydraulic fracking. … And we have not had the 42-inch pipelines going through the steepest areas.”

Concerns also were raised about the possibility of agriculture and tourism being jeopardized, drinking water being contaminated and the exploitation of the state’s gas resources.

“If you look, there are some very big documents — the environmental impact statement that is put out by Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, you will see in there that they are expecting landslides,” Carrie Kline said. “When you hear about landslides, you hear about water contamination.”

The pair handed out information provided by Mountain Lakes Preservation Alliance. One flier makes note that water in the area is “at stake.” Further, the flier reads, “Construction of pipelines takes a toll on water; we saw it with the Stonewall line and we will see it again. Steep slopes and construction don’t mix. Many of the streams being crossed are high-quality streams, some of them tier 3 trout streams. Besides suspended soils, this water may contain petroleum hydrocarbons, diesel, anti-freeze, plastics, oils and blasting agents. Water is a non-renewable resource, and tourism is a $5 billion industry in West Virginia.”

The flier suggests anyone who is interested in additional information may contact April Keating, of Mountain Lakes Preservation Alliance, at 304-642-9436.

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