The company that operated a now-discontinued gasoline pipeline to Montvale says some people who live near it might hear loud noises as part of the decommissioning process. Colonial Pipeline officials say that process involves filling the line with nitrogen, and that sometimes involves a loud blowing sound. Colonial ceased operations of the spur from Richmond to Montvale in late September.
From the Colonial Pipeline website:
- Colonial has completed its final delivery on Line 25 and is in the process of decommissioning the line from service.
- Colonial will continue to maintain the decommissioned line, which runs underground from Columbia, Va., to Montvale, Va. – a distance of approximately 90 miles.
- Colonial announced in August of 2017 that the line would be taken out of service due to concerns over its long-term viability.
- Before decommissioning is complete, Colonial will purge the line of product and fill the line with an inert gas, nitrogen.
- Residents who live within a half mile of Line 25 will receive letters detailing the timing of this work and the potential for a loud blowing sound as excess nitrogen is vented from the line.
- Once the line is decommissioned, activities on the right of way that were prohibited while the line was in service will remain prohibited. This includes digging in the vicinity of the pipeline without calling 811, placing buildings on the right of way, and planting trees or large shrubs.
- Any excavation in the vicinity of the line requires a call to “811” before you dig. Pipeline markers will remain in place to designate the approximate location of the line.
- Normal maintenance activities, such as periodic inspections, aerial overflights, and mowing the right of way, will be ongoing to ensure the line’s continued safety.
- Landowners with questions about right of way activities may submit their questions to [email protected].
