NEW PIPELINE COMING TO AUSTIN COUNTY

  

A new pipeline will be coming to the Austin County area next year.  Land rights are currently being negotiated with Austin County residents for the necessary right of way by Norfleet Land Services.

According to a fact sheet distributed to local officials, the new Matterhorn Express Pipeline natural gas pipeline will have sections which are anywhere 42-inches in diameter to 30 inches and will be buried at a depth of 3 feet in most places.

The pipeline originates in west Texas near Rankin and ends in Katy. Construction is expected to take place from April of next year until April 2024.

The Matterhorn Express has the right of Eminent Domain because it will be classified as a gas utility in the state, and it will be regulated by the Texas Railroad Commission and the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

The total length of the pipeline is 422 miles, and 49.88 miles of that will run through Austin County, along the west side of Sealy. The maximum annual tax revenue created by the pipeline will be over $3 million, based on full pipeline utilization. The local area will receive some economic benefits during construction in the form of increased patronage to local hotels, dining & other businesses. Long-term economic benefits include a reliable natural gas supply to Texas consumers and the creation of 50 permanent jobs in Texas.