National Energy Distributor
When the streambanks located adjacent to a national energy distributor’s natural gas pipeline began eroding, DRG helped the utility counteract the erosion and stay within regulation.
The Challenge
A natural gas pipeline was built through Indiana in the early 2000s as part of a national distribution network. Over time, the streambanks in the pipeline’s ROW became compromised, bringing safety and regulatory compliance concerns to the forefront.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission requires adherence to specific guidelines for underground pipelines that cross under streams. Part of these guidelines include a certain amount of soil covering the pipeline to protect the pipeline from any materials in the stream that could damage it. When the soil began to erode, the distributor called on its existing relationship with Davey Resource Group, Inc. (DRG) to help restore the streambank stability at each project site.
The Solution
Restorative work took place in five separate areas throughout 2019. DRG coordinated permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Indiana Department of Environmental Management, and Indiana Department of Natural Resources for each site.
With the permits in place, DRG designed a restoration plan and supervised the distributor’s preferred contractor during construction. DRG crews made sure the project was being completed as planned and within permit criteria
The Results
Construction was complete by the end of 2019, and DRG continues to monitor all five sites for stream stability and permit compliance.
Since construction, the rate of erosion has significantly decreased. The surrounding pipeline infrastructure is protected, and the streambank areas have been re-vegetated with native herbaceous and woody vegetation for future erosion protection.
