Resistance to Williams Companies' pipeline expansion grows in the Triad

On a cold winter night, just over 60 Guilford County residents sit inside the Fellowship Hall of the Church of the Covenant in Greensboro. 

From college students to retirees, they’re all here to learn more about Williams Companies' Southeast Supply Enhancement Project. 

The proposed development calls for 24 miles of new pipeline to be laid across the Triad and another 31 in Rockingham County leading into Virginia. 

It would increase natural gas output in the area by nearly a third. 

Questions and concerns

For many, this was the first time they’d heard about it. And they had questions. 

"Where is the gas going? What’s their timeline? How can we stop it? What regulatory approvals are required?" Those were just a handful of the questions asked by attendees. 

The meeting was organized by multiple nonprofits including the Sierra Club and 7 Directions of Service, both of which have fought similar projects in the past. 

Caroline Hansley, with the Sierra Club, led the meeting. 

She said the pipeline poses a risk to the environment and public health.

In a time when climate anomalies are ravaging cities and towns across the country, Hansley argues further dependence on fossil fuels is something communities can't afford. 

"I mean there are massive wildfires burning LA right now and we just experienced devastating floods with Helene," Hansley said. "We do not need to be building more fossil fuel infrastructure in this state."

She added that it’s no coincidence the expansion ends in Pittsylvania County, which is being courted by multiple developers after it approved its first data center last fall.

"The more that people find out about this, the more questions they have and the more concerns they have," Hansley said.

State Rep. Pricey Harrison, whose district includes a part of Guilford County, also attended the meeting. She’s previously spoken out against the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipeline projects.

"We need to pursue a low-carbon future and a more sustainable future and this proposal is inconsistent with it and it's very expensive for the ratepayers, which I think is the thing that gets the constituent the most," Harrison said. 

Participants plan to share their concerns at Guilford and Forsyth County commissioners' meetings in February. 

*Correction: This story has been updated. The original version of this article said data centers have turned to natural gas as a cleaner energy source and incorrectly attributed that to Caroline Hansley. 

Santiago Ochoa covers healthcare for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. Follow him on X and Instagram: @santi8a98