Conroe’s city leaders may revoke construction permits for a Blackfin Pipeline compressor station after a court ruling temporarily stopped the project, citing zoning restrictions and safety concerns raised by nearby business owners.
On Thursday, the Conroe City Council is set to determine if it will revoke all building permits for a high-pressure natural gas compressor station by Blackfin Pipeline, following a temporary halt to the project imposed by a Montgomery County judge last month.
A temporary injunction was issued by Judge Vince Santini of the 457th State District Court on Sept. 15, halting construction at the site located south of Loop 336. A decision was reached following multiple days of hearings in a legal case brought by Bartholet Home Furnishings, located just a few feet from the construction site.
“The findings showed that (Blackfin) had other options, looked at different possibilities, and intentionally chose to build its expensive station in a place with strict rules,” Santini said in his 17-page ruling. He said that Blackfin’s decision to remain at the current location is the primary factor behind their current predicament.
The injunction will stay in place until May, when the trial is set to take place.
Bartholet Home Furnishings and its property owner, Montgomery Investments LLC, initiated legal action on July 23, seeking a temporary restraining order to halt the construction of the station, citing concerns over safety and alleged violations of local regulations.
The compressor station is among four above-ground facilities slated for development along the 193-mile Blackfin Pipeline, a project initiated by Austin-based WhiteWater Midstream. A pipeline is set to carry as much as 3.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas each day from Colorado County to Jasper County, passing through Austin, Waller, Montgomery, Liberty, Hardin, and Harris counties.
Construction in Montgomery County is expected to kick off in late 2024. Compressor stations, positioned every 50 to 100 miles along a pipeline, serve the crucial function of pressurizing and transporting natural gas through the system, as stated by the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America.
Officials from Blackfin have emphasized that ensuring community safety remains a primary concern, stating that the pipeline has been developed and built in accordance with all regulatory agencies and in collaboration with them. The city of Conroe has reviewed and approved the project, according to company spokesperson Cody McGregor.
City officials are set to reconsider that approval at the council's regular meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday. The agenda includes a discussion about the potential revocation of all permits previously granted for the project.
Conroe's decision to retract its approval could postpone or jeopardize the multi-million-dollar infrastructure project, currently stalled while awaiting court review.
