BOONE COUNTY, Ky. — Boone County neighbors and leaders are speaking out against plans for Texas Gas Transmission, LLC to build a natural gas pipeline from Dearborn County, Indiana, across the Ohio River into Boone County.
The goal would be to connect to Vistra Corp.’s Miami Fort Power Plant in Hamilton County, Ohio.
"Usually projects like this benefit the communities that they're running through. We don't see that here," Boone County Commissioner Jesse Brewer said.
Penny Morris lives near the planned pipeline route in Petersburg and said she has concerns about the project's impacts.
WATCH: How project planners are responding to natural gas pipeline concerns in Boone County
"How is it going to directly affect my water well? Because if they drill in and the river bed is very, very soft and delicate, it can either cause it to frack or it can cause it to have backwash that can backwash into our system," Morris said.
In a statement to WCPO, Texas Gas's parent company, Boardwalk Pipelines, said no fracking will be involved in the process. Boardwalk Pipelines said protecting water resources is part of its planning process.
Boone County leaders, however, have formally opposed the project in a letter to project leaders. Brewer questioned the pipeline's routing decisions.
"Why does it got to come from Ohio over across the river twice?" Brewer said. "When there's no benefit for the Boone County residents that we can see or tell."
Boardwalk Pipelines said in an email Thursday that many factors — including environmental concerns and proximity to homes — were taken into consideration when planning the pipeline route.
Brewer also raised concerns about a lack of early communication with county officials.
"Couldn't there have been a better planning process to bring us in earlier on so we can understand it, so we can maybe have some guidance ... or just understand it?" Brewer said.
Boardwalk Pipelines addressed the communication concern in Thursday's email, saying that Texas Gas began engaging local officials early in the project development process in late 2025.
The company is now encouraging residents to submit input on the project to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by 5 p.m. on July 27.
You can find more information on the project on the Boardwalk Pipeline website.
You can also find Boardwalk Pipeline's full statement on the project below:
"Thank you for giving us an opportunity to contribute to your story about our proposed Dearborn County Lateral project. We are pleased to provide the following answers to your questions and will continue to share new information about the project as it is developed.
We thought it would help provide some important context about the proposed project so that your viewers know what to expect as things move forward. The Dearborn County Lateral (Dearborn) Project is a proposed natural gas infrastructure project led by Texas Gas Transmission, LLC (Texas Gas), a subsidiary of Boardwalk Pipelines, LP. The project is designed to enhance energy reliability by connecting Texas Gas’s existing pipeline system in Dearborn County, Indiana, to Vistra Corp.’s Miami Fort Power Plant in Hamilton County, Ohio. We are in a very comprehensive and prescribed process defined by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
We also thought some background on our company would also be helpful. Texas Gas Transmission is a core part of Boardwalk’s interstate pipeline network, providing reliable natural gas transportation and storage across the South and Midwest. With more than 6,000 miles of bi-directional pipeline and a robust storage portfolio, Texas Gas plays a vital role in connecting Gulf Coast and Appalachian supply to utilities, power generators and industrial users. Its flexibility, geographic reach and operational resilience make it a reliable energy provider throughout the region.
If you have any additional questions or clarifications, please let us know."
