Kinder Morgan Announces Change In Completion Date For Permian Highway Pipeline

Kinder Morgan has pushed back the completion date for the Permian Highway Pipeline due to regulatory approval delays.

President Kim Dang announced the pipeline is projected to be in Early 2021 instead of late 2020.

“We also made excellent progress on our Permian Highway Pipeline project, with nearly 85 percent of the right-of-way secured along the route and construction activities underway on the western spread.” Dang said. “Given the slower than anticipated pace of regulatory approvals, the project is now expected to be in service early in 2021.”

Several legal challenges have surfaced since it was announced the pipeline would be routed through environmentally sensitive areas in the hill country.

The City of San Marcos joined Kyle, Austin, the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District and the Wimberley Valley Watershed Association in filing a lawsuit against the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

The notice of intent letter (NOI) states that under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, it would be a legal violation for the company to obtain a general permit from the Army Corps of Engineers; under the Endangered Species Act, the company should seek an incidental take permit and prepare a habitat conservation plan.

According to Kinder Morgan, despite delays, construction has begun on the western section of the project.