Move afoot to bring natural gas to White Co.

CLEVELAND - City and County officials in White County are pushing an effort to bring natural gas service to the county. Currently natural gas service ends in Hall County, one mile south of the White/Hall county line. Both the Mayor and City Council in Cleveland and White County Commissioners have written letters to each member of the Georgia Public Service Commission urging them to approve the expansion of Atlanta Gas Light service in to the county.

Tom O'Bryant, the Director of Community and Economic Development for White County says a program, known as Georgia Strategic Infrastructure Development and Enhancement or (STRIDE) along with another program the Integrated Customer Growth Program, allows Atlanta Gas Light to extend its pipeline facilities to serve customers without pipeline access.

The new program will also allow Atlanta Gas Light to install pipelines to create new economic development corridors in order to help spur growth. Both city and county officials point out the fact that there are a number of potential customers in the Telford Hulsey Industrial Park, located just a mile north of the Hall County line.

White County Commission Chairman Travis Turner says this could enhance the business opportunities for the county. The Public Service Commission must authorize the expansion and officials have received favorable response about that happening.