Blackfin Pulls Plug on Planned Conroe Compressor Station

CONROE, TX -- The morning of Wednesday, October 8th, will always be a special anniversary in the mind of Sarah Bartholet Gwin, whose family and business had been under fire since July, when a natural gas pipeline company, Blackfin Pipeline, LLC, began construction of a compressor station literally yards from her family’s home furnishings business, located on I-45 South and across the highway from River Plantation Drive. Major gas pipeline compressor stations are located in rural areas, in an area of over 25 acres or more, but the audacity of BF project leaders, coupled with county and city loopholes, gave Blackfin confidence to proceed with the project, in placing a dangerous entity on a footprint three times smaller and in an urban setting; smack dab in the middle of Conroe’s furniture district, next to a major north-south roadway, and with residential concerns located near enough to hear a firecracker. Bartholet jumped into action bringing awareness to the project, because it not only affected her business, but the safety of the workers in the furniture district, the citizens of Conroe, residents of Montgomery County, and anyone traveling along I-45.

Following several hearings in the 457th District Court of Judge Vince J Santini in August and September, a Temporary Injunction was issued by the Judge in favor of the plaintiff, Bartholet Home Furnishings in Conroe, basically using common sense. The placement of a 48-inch pipeline in a close-confined urban area, with issues that were already breaking local covenants in regards to noise and environmental concerns, is not good business. There have been other examples of pipeline disasters over the years, with Pearland in the 1970s, and just recently in Deer Park, and the scheduled pipeline was nearly the size of the combined flows of both of those incidents. Any incident of the compressor station, had it been installed, would have been catastrophic to who knows how many degrees.

Todd Bartholet, the second generation owner of the furniture store, got a call Wednesday morning from his counsel, stating that Blackfin Pipeline had decided to relocate the project. His daughters Sarah Bartholet Gwin and Emily Bartholet, were giving a presentation to customers when her father told them of the BP decision, which immediately brought tears to her eyes throwing off their concentration over the business dealing.

Soon after City of Conroe officials were informed of Blackfin’s intentions, in which Public Information Officer Andrew Yousse immediately issued a press release.

“Blackfin reached out to City Officials and is eager to collaborate with the City of Conroe to ensure the safe, reliable, and considerate operation of the project in the future,” said Yousse. “Staff members will meet with Blackfin to discuss the future location and assist in a better site selection process.”

Yousse went on to say the City Staff who were directly involved in the approval of this project are no longer employed with the City of Conroe. The City Council had posted its agenda for the upcoming council meeting on October 4th, noting that they were intending to issue a resolution to align with Judge Santini’s September TI, while setting Agenda item #11 at their next scheduled meeting to rescind all permits and issue a stop work order. All of which prompted Blackfin Pipeline to call ‘no joy’ on the project, and go back to the drawing board with City officials for a safer route for all parties concerned.

“We are thrilled that Blackfin has decided to relocate their compressor station away from the homeowners, citizens, and private businesses, some of which have been part of the Conroe Community for the past 60 years,” said City Administrator Gary Scott. “This decision shows that by collaborating, working together with our citizens, and staying positive we can achieve anything.”

As the Bartholet sisters cried in front of their clients, they had to explain the situation, and their tears of joy. And they won’t be totally off guard until all the Blackfin documentation is signed to totally divert the project.

“I haven't seen trucks taking any equipment away yet, but this is definitely a step in the direction that we needed,” said Gwin. “We've been praying each and every day for God to please just watch over our family and our community.”

Sarah and her family have been bombarded with negative comments from across the nation. The Washington Times published an opinion column by Michael McKenna, ‘Conroe’s natural gas pipeline lawsuit delivers national consequences: Local property dispute risks damaging Texas’ role in powering American innovation.’ It was a piece written more out of ignorance of Texas land restrictions and covenants, rather than practicality, seeing as Virginia has few natural gas pipelines. Gwin’s husband works in the oil and gas industry, so her commitment to the concept is not foreign, but when it comes to safety, for her family and livelihood, she is a dedicated fighter, and aims to triumph.

“It was so disheartening to see someone write an article without a lick of fact and try to smear and defame us,” said Gwin speaking of the McKenna jab. “My Sister (Emily) wanted to defend our reputation and hardworking family so she wrote a rebuttal (‘Conroe, Texas, pipeline fight not a NIMBY matter’) to clarify the actual facts of the article.”

Although the City of Conroe has fired the employees that approved the project for BP, and quietly claims some credit for Blackfin’s reversal; the City has made no effort to financially back or reimburse the Bartholet Family for their expenses in their effort to fight the compressor station. The Bartholet’s had the most to lose if the project had been implemented, and essentially they were fighting for the safety of Conroe as much as for themselves. In the City’s Wednesday press release, the only mention in reference to the family furniture company was their 60 years of service to the community. The issue of expenses to right this wrong will continue to be discussed, and many will agree that the City cannot use the Bartholet’s as a crutch to solve the issue, and walk away from a problem that was created by a lack of City oversight to begin with. Councilman Harry Hardman has vocally supported the Bartholet Family in their ordeal, and recognized the fact in a social media post on Wednesday.

“I want to especially recognize the heroic efforts of the Bartholet Family,” said Hardman. “Their steadfastness and resolve in taking on this battle, in the face of ‘impossible’ odds, shows us that fighting the good fight through faith and the law can overcome even the most daunting obstacles.”

The family has taken many arrows for the City of Conroe, being told “you’re barking up the wrong tree,” or “you’re not going to get them to move it,” with the most hilarious being “you must be paid left wing activists for Democrats.” But the family has remained strong, righteous, and big believers in the land restrictions that are backed by the State of Texas to protect the Bartholet’s safety concerns.

“It has been a brutal set of months, a definite battle, and it had to be done,” said Sarah. “My father Todd and I have lost about 15 pounds each with all the worry this year. But, we were like, you messed with the wrong family. You messed with the wrong town. Montgomery County is not someplace that you're going to get somebody to just roll over and take it. This is our livelihood.”