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County settles for pipeline assurances
By ALISA ULFERTS © St. Petersburg Times, published October 5, 2000 NEW PORT RICHEY -- Wednesday's discussion boiled down to a single question: Would Pasco County's opposition to the Buccaneer gas pipeline persuade federal regulators to nix it? Four of the five county commissioners said no and voted to settle with the company that wants to build the $1.5-billion pipeline through Pasco County. Only Commission Chairwoman Pat Mulieri heeded the pleas and threats of the residents who had spoken the night before. "I think the plea from the people was, "Listen to us for once. Do what is in your heart,' " Mulieri said. She said the county should oppose the pipeline to give more ammunition to the state and federal politicians who have vowed to fight it, including state Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Palm Harbor, state Rep. Heather Fiorentino, R-New Port Richey, and U.S. Congressman Mike Bilirakis, R-Tarpon Springs. But the majority of the commissioners approved the settlement -- which effectively trades any county opposition to the project for extra safety features, about $6-million in environmental preservation and more than half a million dollars in cash -- amid a backdrop of catcalls and hisses from those present Wednesday. One resident, Citizens for Sanity founder Clay Colson, was removed from the chambers by three sheriff's deputies for disrupting the meeting. "Don't touch me," Colson said, lifting his arms as he was escorted out. The proposed pipeline would cross under the Gulf of Mexico and come ashore at Baillie's Bluff. It would stretch across 49 miles of southern Pasco County and exit the county near Zephyrhills. County staffers say the project appears headed for state and federal approval. County commissioners held a public hearing Tuesday night to give future neighbors of the pipeline a chance to be heard. But they held off voting because two commissioners, Ann Hildebrand and Sylvia Young, were absent. The two were supervising Tuesday's runoff election. Almost all of those residents begged commissioners not to back down from their opposition and to fight the pipeline until the very end. One of those was 5-year-old Baillie's Bluff resident Kevin Dickey, who said he feared an accidental explosion. "I don't want everyone to be killed. That's all," the boy said Tuesday evening. Buccaneer officials assured commissioners and residents that they were absolutely committed to safety. Company spokesman Jose Cox repeated that after Wednesday's meeting, saying the company will answer any questions residents have. Despite the popular opposition, Commissioner Steve Simon said he wanted the extra safety features and environmental guarantees outlined in the settlement agreement in case the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission decides Buccaneer can run the pipe through Pasco. "I am willing to risk the political anger," Simon said. He stressed that his vote for the settlement did not mean he wanted the pipeline. "There really isn't any effect of help (in not settling) and there is a consequence," Simon said. Hildebrand agreed. "We are forced into the position of rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic" if they scrap the settlement and try and fight the pipeline in federal court, Hildebrand said. Young said Bilirakis, Fiorentino and Latvala can fight the pipeline without the county's help. "If they're going to fight it, then they can ante up and fight it on their own," Young declared, and elicited a gasp from the audience. But Mulieri, whose core constituency of central Pasco environmentalists was opposed to the pipeline, was unswayed. So was Robert Selby, whose house is within 100 feet of the proposed pipeline route. "I'm going to have to move. How can I guarantee the safety of my wife and my new son?" Selby asked.
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