Rail cars filled with natural gas and propane rolling through the area, and one and a half million gallons of it stored nearby is the plan. George Mack lives just up the road and doesn't like it.
"It's quite a big deal to the homeowners," Mack says.
Mack convinced nearly 90 of his neighbors to sign a petition protesting plans for a large gas storage and shipping hub just southeast of the Hutchinson city limits. Neighbors are concerned about more traffic congestion caused by trains and trucks along South Obee Road. However, their biggest fear stems from something that happened in Hutchinson nearly 12 years ago.
On January 17, 2001 an underground storage facility started leaking, sending natural gas into caverns beneath the city. A series of explosions across Hutchinson killed two people.
"It sticks with you forever if you were around," Mack says. "It sticks right in the back of your mind."
The new facility would store the gas above ground. However, Reno County planner Mark Vonachen says there are no guarantees.
"There are always concerns with a facility like this," Vonachen says. "No facility is 100 percent safe--there's always potential for accidents to happen. But his company is doing everything they can to ensure it will be safe for the public."
A company called NGL would own and operate the facility. Vonachen says NGL has several similar operations across the country and has never had an accident. Mack says there's always a first time, and it's just too close to home for him and his neighbors.
The Reno County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on November 19th at 5 p.m. The Reno County Commission is slated to vote on the plan the following day.
