Engineer says NEXUS should move pipeline away from water wells

jackson@sanduskyregister.comFREMONTSandusky County's sanitary engineer is asking the proposed NEXUS natural gas line developers to move their route away from water wells that provide fresh water for hundreds of people near Fremont.In a letter posted at the website of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which has the final say for approving the route, Steven F. Shiets says he is "very concerned" that the proposed pipeline route passes close to public water wells that supply water for Shorewood Village, a community north of Fremont and north of the turnpike.The proposed pipeline, now before FERC, would run from eastern Ohio through northern Ohio, including Erie and Sandusky counties, and then into Michigan. Groups of local citizens have been battling the project and trying to get it to move further south.In his Dec. 24 letter, Shiets notes the latest proposed route near Fremont seems to contradict past assurances that the route would avoid threatening public water supplies."We are contacting you in concern of a proposed NEXUS Gas Transmission Project that is passing within 110 feet of one of our public wells and within the 300 foot radius Wellhead Protection Area of both of our wells. Sandusky County is very concerned with this proposed alignment, as these wells provide public water for the nearby Shorewood Village," Shiets wrote."We have looked at the original NEXUS report from June of 2015, and it indicates that the transmission line be located on the south side of the Ohio Turnpike and away from the County's Water Plant. That report also indicates they would not be located within 150 feet of any public wells within the State of Ohio. With the new proposed alignment being investigated, this statement is no longer true," he wrote.The Shorewood Water Plant is at 810 Shorewood Drive and is being investigated for a proposed gas transmission line by NEXUS. We have repeatedly indicated to the crew performing the investigation that they are in the Shorewood well field and in reviewing the latest correspondence with NEXUS, the alignment has not been changed," he wrote.Shiets told the Register Friday that posting the letter as a public document at FERC's website appears to have gotten the attention of NEXUS' developers. He said Spectra Energy contacted him this week to ask for more information."They said they were going to have a meeting on it," Shiets said.Shorewood Village, apparently not incorporated, is a community of about 150 houses and the water wells near the gas pipeline's route supply water for about 350 people, Shiets said.Shiets sent a copy of his letter to Sandusky County's commissioners. He said he found out about the problem when NEXUS sent a notice to the commissioners about the latest proposed route.A message asking for comment was left Friday morning with Arthur Diestel, the spokesman for NEXUS.