FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 11, 2013) — The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce is a staunch supporter of pro-energy infrastructure investments that benefit the present and future of the commonwealth.
To retain and attract new industries in Kentucky, we must recognize the need for access to energy resources and infrastructure that make the state competitive with other geographic areas of the country, the chamber said today in a press release. That’s why the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce supports the construction of the Bluegrass Pipeline.
Pipeline construction will not only help ensure the viability of our current industrial facilities, it will also help create new jobs as growing demand for natural gas liquids and refined crude products expands infrastructure of these facilities, the chamber said.
During the construction phase, the benefits include $30 to $50 million in payments to landowners, the creation of approximately 1,500 jobs, contracting of skilled labor, and new income for hotels, restaurants and other service-related industries along the pipeline’s path. In the long run, there are direct benefits in the form of annual ad valorem tax revenue — more than $136 million over 10 years — and the positioning of Kentucky as a major part in the future of American energy distribution and production, the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce said in its release.
Beyond these benefits, the Bluegrass Pipeline has the potential to bring Kentucky many new opportunities often made possible by new energy infrastructure, the chamber said. The natural gas liquids (NGLs) transported in the pipeline are already used by many current industries in Kentucky and the supply made available by this pipeline will ensure Bluegrass Pipeline’s long-term viability in Kentucky.
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