The map above is listed as a “preliminary” route. The official route has not been determined at this time. The dashed line is the proposed route through Hays County.
Gas pipeline planned through Wimberley
A 42-inch natural gas pipeline is planned to cross the Wimberley Valley with construction starting late next year.
Kinder Morgan, one of the largest pipeline companies in the United States, has planned a pipeline from Waha, which is an oilfield in the Midland area, to Katy. Of the 430 miles of pipeline, about 32 is planned to cross through Hays County.
The $2 billion project is intent on bringing natural gas to the market place.
The current route, which is still in a preliminary form, comes in to Wimberley near Pump Station Road and cuts to the area of Gold Road on Ranch Road 12 just north of Jacob’s Well Road. From there, the line continues east near Lone Man Mountain Road to FM 3237 near Rolling Oaks and continues to Kyle. Easements for construction would reach up to 125 feet in width.
Allen Fore, Vice President of Kinder Morgan, said that 78 property owners are expected to be impacted in Hays County and that all have been notified in some way.
“It just doesn’t make sense to me trying to run across an area like the Wimberley Valley,” Larry Becker, who lives off Gold Road and was notified that the pipeline would cross his property, said. “It is environmentally too sensitive because of all of the natural springs and all the surface water that runs through this county. It doesn’t make much sense to me. I’m pretty stunned by the whole concept that they would consider it.“
Becker said he did not give the company permission to use his property. Fore said that they have a “very good track record” of working with property owners, and that eminent domain “is rarely used on projects, but it is a possibility if there is no way to resolve any differences.”
Kinder Morgan already owns a pipeline that crosses the northern tip of Hays County. Fore said that the company pays about $20,000 in property taxes within the county and that number is estimated to jump to nearly $1.6 million after the project is finished.
The proposed route does come in the general vicinity of Jacob’s Well Natural Area, but it is not clear exactly how close it is planned. Fore said that his team is still in the process of evaluating local environmental concerns.
“We have had some additional research about the areas in Hays County of particular interest, but that is part of this consultation process we are undertaking now,” Fore said. “We want to learn more and have our environmental professionals review that information and construction folks and make sure we do this in a way that is compatible locally. Every place is different. There is 400 miles of pipe and Hays County is different than many of the other counties. That is why we spend a lot of time up front on this review to be the least impactful. We will have a lot of conversation with a lot of folks as we further refine the route.”