A city committee in Norman has voted in favor of approving construction of a the Red River Pipeline by Plains All American, despite objections of city residents.
The pipeline company is the same one that was indicted by the state of California in May for last year’s oil spill near Santa Barbara, California.
The Floodplain Permit Committee voted 5-1 to allow construction of the pipeline through the southeast city limits of Norman, according to the Norman Transcript. The total length that the line will run through Norman City limits is about two and a half miles.
The pipeline is part of a 350 mile-long 16-inch pipeline running from Cushing south across the Red River to Longview, Texas. Once completed, it will be able to move 110,000 barrels of crude oil a day.
While some citizens have protested the construction, the Cleveland County Commission voted last year to approve road and easement crossing permits for the project.
Dozens of citizens who were on hand for the committee vote questioned company officials about matters concerning the rock bed for the pipeline, the environmental impact, seismic activity and construction methods to secure it from oil leaks.
One committee member, Neil Suneson who is a geologist, raised concerns if the pipeline was not inserted into bedrock as it crossed under Little River.
“My concern is release of water from the Thunderbird Dam could expose the pipeline,” he told company officials. Sunseson asked for a delay in the committee decision but other members opposed it and the final vote for approval was held.
The Norman Transcript reported that protesters circulated a petition indicating they planned to file suit if the pipeline was approved. The project is the same one that led to lawsuits filed in 2015 by Plains All American against five Cleveland County landowners, as OK Energy Today reported last year.