The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources (DWR) will hold two public hearings in early September to gather comments on the water quality impacts of Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co. LLC’s (Transco) proposed Southeast Supply Enhancement Project.
The first hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. on September 2, 2025, at Rockingham Community College Advanced Technologies Building Auditorium in Wentworth. The second will take place at 6 p.m. on September 4, 2025, at the Kernersville Municipal Council Chambers in Kernersville. Registration for speakers begins at 5:30 p.m. at each location.
Transco has applied to DWR for several permits related to the project, including a Clean Water Act Section 401 Individual Water Quality Certification and riparian buffer authorizations for both Jordan Lake and Randleman Lake watersheds. The project involves expanding an existing gas transmission pipeline with about 4.4 miles of new pipeline in Rockingham County (Eden loop) and approximately 24.1 miles in Guilford, Forsyth, and Davidson counties (Salem loop). There are also plans to modify compressor and other facilities in Davidson, Cleveland, Iredell, Lincoln, and Gaston counties; according to the application, these modifications would not affect jurisdictional waters or state-regulated riparian buffers.
Construction activities along the route are expected to temporarily impact around 8,100 linear feet of streams and about 11.2 acres of wetlands. The project includes major stream crossings using horizontal directional drilling or conventional bore methods designed to avoid surface water impacts. Two smaller streams will be avoided because they are adjacent to roadways where similar installation methods will be used.
According to Transco’s proposal, once construction is complete, disturbed ground surfaces, streams, and wetlands would be restored as close as possible to their original condition.
Projects that require a federal Clean Water Act Section 404 permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must also secure a state-issued Section 401 Water Quality Certification before moving forward (https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/water-quality-permitting/401-buffer-permitting-branch/401-certification). This certification process evaluates whether projects meet state water quality standards and have minimized impacts on surface waters or wetlands.
For approval, projects must minimize adverse effects based on topography and ecological conditions; prevent degradation of groundwater or surface water; avoid secondary impacts that could violate downstream standards; and provide mitigation for any permanent losses.
Riparian buffer authorizations are necessary due to potential impacts on streams flowing into Jordan Lake and Randleman Lake—key drinking water sources protected by state regulations requiring vegetative buffers near waterways.
Public comments can be submitted during the hearings or sent by mail or email until October 6 at 5 p.m., with instructions available through the public comment link (https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/water-quality-permitting/401-buffer-permitting-branch/public-notices-and-hearings/public-comment-link). Written comments may also be mailed to Samantha Wooten at DWR or left via voicemail at the number provided by DWR. Comments received will be considered as part of the decision-making process under Session Law 2023-137.
Additional information about the application and supporting materials can be found online in the permit file (https://edocs.deq.nc.gov/WaterResources/Browse.aspx?id=3462527&dbid=0&repo=WaterResources).
