Community Benefits

How do pipelines benefit communities?

Pipelines benefit communities by providing fuel, jobs and tens of millions of dollars in state and local tax revenue that supports schools, roads and first responders. Importantly, pipeline operators and their employees are part of the communities they serve, regularly volunteering and supporting local organizations.

Manufacturing

Pipelines reliably and affordably transport energy products produced here in the U.S., cutting energy costs for companies and small businesses across our country. In fact, increased U.S. energy production, combined with our country’s pipeline network and refining capacity, have made U.S. again attractive to manufacturers and industrial consumers.

In 2009, Virginia manufacturer Mohawk Industries alerted county officials it would need to reduce energy costs or relocate to Alabama. Instead, the company opened a natural gas distribution line from a nearby transmission line, retaining the 150-plus employees in Virginia and allowing Mohawk to attract two other companies with a total of 255 employees. Mohawk’s distribution line helped Carroll County provide increased natural gas to other industries and attract additional companies, keeping the local economy moving.

Residential

Next, pipelines also transport valuable energy sources that heat our homes. In Michigan, one in ten state residents rely on propane, kerosene or fuel oil as their primary heating source, making the Great Lakes State the largest consumer of propane as a home heating fuel. In neighboring Minnesota, twice as many state residents use propane to heat their homes compared to the national average, transported via pipeline to rural communities across the state.

Agriculture

Lastly, rural communities depend upon pipelines to heat their homes and run their farms. Farmers use oil and natural gas products as fuel for farm vehicles, equipment, and electricity production at farm co-ops. Additionally, farmers use propane to dry their grain after harvest, reducing crop loss, adding harvest flexibility and improving yields through earlier harvest. Farming communities also rely heavily on oil and gas products in pesticides and fertilizer, which accounts for roughly 50% of indirect energy use on U.S. farms.

Livestock operations use propane to heat their barns and keep livestock warm throughout the winter. Minnesotan family farmers rely on propane transported by pipeline to provide stable temperatures during cold winter months to raise nearly 45 million turkeys each year, helping to ensure turkeys on the table for our Thanksgiving meals!