NCDEQ Division of Water Resources to hold public hearings on water quality impacts from Transco’s proposed pipeline expansion

The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources (DWR) will hold public hearings on Sept. 2 and Sept. 4 in order to accept public comments on water quality impacts from Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Co. LLC’s (Transco) proposed natural gas pipeline project, known as the Southeast Supply Enhancement Project.

Public Hearing Details
When: 6 p.m., Sept. 2, 2025
Where: Rockingham Community College Advanced Technologies Building

Auditorium, 560 County Home Road, Wentworth, N.C., 27375
Register: Speaker registration opens at 5:30 p.m. onsite via sign-in sheet.

Public Hearing Details
When: 6 p.m., Sept. 4, 2025
Where: Kernersville Municipal Council Chambers, 134 East Mountain Street, Kernersville, N.C., 27284
Register: Speaker registration opens at 5:30 p.m. onsite via sign-in sheet.

Transco applied to DWR for a Clean Water Act Section 401 Individual Water Quality Certification, a Jordan Lake Riparian Buffer Authorization and a Randleman Lake Riparian Buffer Authorization in connection with the proposed construction of the Southeast Supply Enhancement Project (SSEP): Application.

The project is a proposed expansion of an existing gas transmission pipeline. In North Carolina, the project proposes construction of approximately 4.4 miles of 42-inch diameter pipeline in Rockingham County, which is known as the Eden loop. In addition, the project includes construction of approximately 24.1 miles of 42-inch diameter pipeline in Guilford, Forsyth and Davidson counties, known as the Salem loop. The project also includes modifications to existing compressor and other facilities in Davidson, Cleveland, Iredell, Lincoln and Gaston counties within North Carolina that, according to the application, do not impact jurisdictional waters or state-regulated riparian buffers.

Along the route of the pipeline in North Carolina, the proposed pipeline project would temporarily impact 8,100 linear feet (1.5 miles) of jurisdictional intermittent and perennial streams, and 11.2 acres of 404 jurisdictional wetlands related to the construction.

Two large stream crossings and one open water crossing are proposed to be installed underneath surface waters using the horizontal directional drill or conventional bore methods. In addition, two smaller streams will be avoided because they are adjacent to horizontal directional drill or conventional bore crossings of roadways. This type of installation avoids impacts to the surface water.

In all locations, Transco is proposing that once construction is complete, the ground surface, streams and wetlands would be restored as near as practical to their pre-construction condition.

Projects that require a Clean Water Act Section 404 permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must also receive a 401 Water Quality Certification from the state in order for the federal permit to be valid.

The 401 certification is required to assess whether the proposal would meet state water quality standards, and whether the project has avoided or minimized impacts to surface waters or wetlands, among other considerations.

For a project to be issued a certification, it must meet the following criteria:

• The project minimizes adverse impacts to surface waters and wetlands based on consideration of existing topography, vegetation, fish and wildlife resources, and hydrological conditions.

• The project does not result in the degradation of groundwaters or surface waters.

• The project does not result in secondary or indirect impacts that cause or will cause a violation of downstream water quality standards.

• The project provides for replacement of permanent impacts through mitigation.

The riparian buffer authorizations are required since the proposed project would impact streams located in the Jordan Lake and Randleman Lake watersheds. North Carolina has rules requiring riparian buffers, or vegetation, within a certain distance of all streams and waterways that flow into these lakes to protect them as drinking water sources.

In addition to speaking at the public hearing, the public can also submit comments by mail or email. Written comments must be received by DWR no later than 5 p.m. on Oct. 6.

Please submit written comments using this link with project No. 20240801; version 2): Public comment link. Written comments may also be submitted via mail to: Samantha Wooten, 401 Permitting, 1617 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC, 27699-1617.

Public comments may also be submitted by leaving a voicemail at 919-707-8495. 

Comments received on the permit will be considered as part of a decision on the application in accordance with the timelines established in Session Law 2023-137.

The application, related materials and the draft community profile are available online: Permit file.