Gas Giants Plan Southern Pipeline Push: Feds Call for Comments
Published Date: 9/10/2025
Notice
Summary
Tennessee Gas Pipeline, Southern Natural Gas, and Elba Express are planning big projects to build and upgrade gas pipelines across parts of Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. The government is checking how these projects might affect the environment and wants your thoughts before moving forward. This review will help decide if the projects are safe and necessary, with updates coming soon on timing and costs.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 3 costs, 0 mixed.
Landowners face eminent domain risk
If you are a landowner in the project area, the pipeline companies may contact you to negotiate an easement but you are not required to agree. If FERC approves the Projects, the Natural Gas Act gives the company the right to initiate condemnation (eminent domain) proceedings in court and a judge would determine compensation under state law.
Wetlands and waterbody impacts
The MSX Project would impact about 146.4 acres of wetlands during construction and about 73.7 acres during operation and traverse roughly 1,000 waterbodies; the SSE4 Project would impact about 223.8 acres of wetlands during construction and about 48.6 acres during operation and also traverse over 1,000 waterbodies. Both Projects cross rivers listed in the National Park Service Nationwide Rivers Inventory and other protected waterways.
Large construction footprint and land maintenance
Construction for the MSX Project would disturb about 2,900 acres and the SSE4 Project about 6,865 acres; afterward TGP would maintain about 1,460 acres for MSX and SNG/EEC about 1,465 acres for SSE4, with the rest restored. About 28% of the MSX route and about 92% of the SSE4 route parallel existing rights-of-way.
Regional pipeline capacity increases
The MSX Project is designed to add about 2.1 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of firm transportation capacity to the southeast, and the SSE4 Project would add about 1.323 Bcf/d of firm capacity to the southeast. The companies say these capacities are meant to meet growing residential, commercial, industrial, and new gas-fired electric generation demand in the region.
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Key Dates
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