REGION — Congressman Chris Gibson, who represents the Town of Highland where a compressor station is planned for the Millennium Pipeline, has written a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) urging that health experts be employed in the review of gas infrastructure such as compressor stations.

Gibson wrote, “There is evidence that leaks and releases from compressor stations in other areas are associated with elevated concentrations of organic compounds that are components of natural gas. This includes methane, hexane, benzene and a variety of other compounds. Some of these compounds are known to be carcinogenic, and any cancer caused by them may appear only after a number of years to those persons exposed. In addition, there could be additional negative effects on the respiratory and nervous systems for residents living near these compressor stations.

“FERC has traditionally relied on review of compliance with federal exposure standards for air toxins. However, there are several reasons why these standards may be inadequate to protect public health. Many of these standards were set many years ago, and may be obsolete on the basis of current information concerning risks to humans from inhalation of these chemicals.

“FERC should routinely include public health experts in its review process, a practice that is not done routinely at present. This is a concern because the protection of the health of the people living near to these sites should be a top priority. Workers and nearby residents must be protected against negative health impacts that may result from exposure both in the short and long term."