Vince Pompo, partner and chairman of Lamb McErlane’s municipal law department was quoted in The Pennsylvania Township News May 2016 publication. The article is on the Pipeline Infrastructure – Task Force Report. Vince serves on the Local Government Workgroup of Pennsylvania’s Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force and is Supervisor of East Bradford Township in Chester County, PA.

The 48-member Pipeline Infrastructure Task Force delivered its final report to Governor Tom Wolf in February. An outline for responsible development, the study is the work of more than 150 participants, including a handful of township supervisors. Better communication, more involvement, and greater land use control are among the things they want from the state and companies building natural gas pipelines across the commonwealth.

Communication and Roads

The group’s two other recommendations, which the task force was more receptive to, were designed to ensure that when a pipeline project is proposed in Pennsylvania, local elected officials are involved and local roads are protected.

“The biggest frustrations raised were lack of uncertainty in the process, including how the companies determine their routes, and the lack of communication,” says work group member Vince Pompo, a supervisor for the East Bradford Township in Chester County, PA. As a result, group members stressed that pipeline developers should be required to communicate early and often with local elected officials. This, in turn, will enable local leaders to provide accurate information to the public. “From development of new pipelines to the operation and maintenance of existing pipelines, the flow of information between pipeline companies and affected municipalities is fragmented and inconsistent at best,” the report states. “To ensure the communication is fluid and timely among stakeholders, we need to establish best management practices before the communication process even starts.”

One possible solution: a standardized checklist for pipeline developers that would, among other things, require them to designate a contact person to work with affected municipalities and provide updated maps of routes and facilities.

“Having an actual outline, a uniform process, that companies follow and the state monitors is really the best thing that could happen, Pompo says.

The work group is also advocating a statewide registry of pipeline companies and their contacts and that state and federal agencies involve municipalities in the pipeline permitting process.

“At the present time, local governments have a very limited role in siting and permitting, depending upon the extent of Federal Energy Regulation Commission (FERC) or Public Utility Commission (PUC) jurisdiction,” the report states. “Local officials have a significant amount of insight as far as any impact to the community or potential obstacles [and] can provide meaningful input during the permitting process.”

View the full PA Township News article: https://www.lambmcerlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/PA_Township_News_May_2016_Pompo.pdf

Vince is also a member of the Lamb McErlane’s Executive Committee. His practice areas include municipal, land use and environmental law. He is the Township Solicitor for numerous Pennsylvania townships and acts as Solicitor for multiple municipal authorities. Vince spearheaded the acclaimed open space program in East Bradford Township, PA, serving as the first chairman of the Open Space Review Board, and continues to counsel municipalities and conservation organizations on open space acquisitions.

Vince is a frequent presenter on open space, conservation easements, land use and environmental matters for organizations including the Pennsylvania Association of Township Supervisors, the Pennsylvania Land Trust Association and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Vince serves as Secretary of Lundale Farm, Inc.

View the full PA Township News article: https://www.lambmcerlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/PA_Township_News_May_2016_Pompo.pdf