Members Learn About Business Opportunities Surrounding Upcoming Atlantic Sunrise Pipeline
Mike Atchie from Williams gives attendees at Tuesday’s Learn at Lunch an overview of the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project. He also spoke about the WILLShop Local mobile app, which will encourage workers to patronize local businesses and which local businesses and sign up to be listed on for free.
An engaged group of individuals from Chamber member organizations heard the latest updates on the Atlantic Sunrise pipeline project and also about the many opportunities for business development that will be brought about by the pipeline project once it gets underway later this year. Mike Atchie, director of community outreach for Williams, spoke to the group at the August Learn at Lunch, held on Aug. 8 at Wesley United Methodist Church. He began the presentation by giving the audience a brief summary of how and why the project came about and everything that has happened in the three-plus years to get the necessary approvals and permits. Williams is awaiting a few final permits and then plans to get the project started in the fall, taking a about a year to complete. The purpose of the pipeline is to add additional transmission capacity for gas coming out of the Marcellus Shale region in north central Pennsylvania so that the gas can be more easily exported to other states and areas up and down the east coast through the Transco pipeline. According to statistics released last month by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, PA ranked second in the nation in natural gas production for the fourth straight year in 2016.
The Atlantic Sunrise pipeline will run through Columbia County on its way to connect with the Transco pipeline in southern Lancaster County. Some workers that will construct the pipeline in Columbia County will be from outside the immediate area and will therefore need to locate goods and services. In order to encourage its contractors to patronize local businesses during their time here, Williams has developed a mobile application called WILLShop Local and all local businesses are encouraged to sign up, free of charge, to be listed on this app.
The next Learn at Lunch is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 10, from 12-1 p.m. (location TBA) and will feature a speakers talking about the ChamberChoice affinity programs that are available as benefits of Chamber membership, specifically the Penn National business insurance program and the OnDemand Energy program.