Lexington City Council passes resolution expressing concern on Transco’s SSEP 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 26, 2026

CONTACT
Dan Radmacher, Media Specialist, (276) 289-1018, dan@appvoices.org 

LEXINGTON, N.C. — Late last week, the Lexington, North Carolina, City Council passed a resolution highlighting concerns around the proposed Southeast Supply Enhancement Project. Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC — a subsidiary of Williams Companies commonly referred to as Transco — wants to construct 54 miles of methane gas pipeline and increase the horsepower of methane gas compressor stations in Virginia and North Carolina. 

SSEP, if permitted and built, would include 10 miles of 42-inch-wide pipeline in Davidson County and a large expansion of the gas-fired compressor station northwest of Lexington. 

Lexington is the sixth governing body to adopt a resolution of opposition to this project, following the town of Midway, the city of Greensboro, and Davidson, Forsyth and Guilford counties. 

In the resolution, the city council urges decision-makers to fully consider the health, safety, environmental and quality-of-life concerns raised by residents and other stakeholders and to ensure that their input is reflected in any decisions made on the project. The council also requests that regulators assess alternatives to SSEP and evaluate all potential risks of this project.

About 700 residents live within 3 miles of the proposed compressor station expansion. The gas-powered equipment Transco is opting to use for the expansion would release chemicals, including fine particulate matter, that can have severe negative impacts on nearby residents’ health. According to data from the Environmental Protection Agency’s EJScreen tool, 55% of people in the census block directly across the street from the site are considered low-income. This project could burden low-income communities with higher healthcare costs, considering the potential impact of air pollution on residents’ health.

Using one of the most harmful stream-crossing methods, SSEP proposes to cross five streams that are tributaries of Lake Thom-A-Lex, the municipal water supply reservoir for the city of Lexington. This construction could lead to uncontrollable sedimentation, erosion and turbidity in impacted waterways, polluting downstream water sources and putting water quality and aquatic species at risk. Increased sedimentation and turbidity can strain local water utilities that draw from impacted reservoirs. These conditions could make it more difficult and costly for local utilities to filter water, disrupting the supply of clean drinking water to the surrounding municipality.   

“SSEP would jeopardize the safety and health of communities in Davidson County and contribute to a larger expansion of fossil fuels that would increase customers’ bills across North Carolina,” said Juhi Modi, North Carolina Program Coordinator with Appalachian Voices. “We commend the Lexington City Council for telling regulators to prioritize residents’ concerns in the decision-making process and consider alternatives to this pipeline project.”

“Lexington City Council made a very powerful decision by passing this resolution,” said Crystal Norford, Environment Justice Organizer with Clean Water for North Carolina. “We applaud the council for upholding the safety and environmental concerns raised by local residents and advocates. Given the downstream impacts SSEP could have on Lexington’s municipal water reservoir, this resolution works to hold Transco to the highest performance standard to protect the city’s residents and environment.””I commend the Lexington City Council for passing a resolution expressing concern regarding the SSEP pipeline and for their commitment to listening to environmental advocates and community members and acting in the best interest of their constituents,” said Nicole Eastman, Riverkeeper Assistant and Watershed Protection Specialist at Yadkin Riverkeeper. “Their open and thoughtful discussion of the potential impacts of the SSEP on the city’s drinking water source, Thom-a-Lex Lake, during the last meeting demonstrates their dedication to protecting public health and the environment.”