by Kate Shunney
An environmental inspector for TC Energy/Columbia Gas continues to monitor the flow of groundwater from a spring in the area of Berm Road west of Hancock after drilling for a new natural gas pipeline affected the groundwater source there.
The company says Berm Road will stay closed through this winter because of the ongoing monitoring.
photo by Geoff Fox
In a federal report to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, TC Energy stated that during the reporting period of October 25 to November 7, 2025, an environmental inspector saw a decreased flow of groundwater along Berm Road, estimated at a rate of less than a gallon per minute.
“Columbia and its consultant determined that the best path forward to avoid unnecessary impacts is to continue to monitor the spring through March/April of 2026 to observe the spring’s behavior through the seasons and its response to precipitation events before proceeding with the re-paving of Berm Road,” the report said.
Among the work planned for the coming months, Columbia contractors will continue to monitor the groundwater there and clean out a ditch along Berm Road and put down crushed limestone in that ditch.
According to project reports, on February 20, 2025, an inadvertent return was reported along Berm Road by contractors for Columbia Gas. An inadvertent return is the accidental or unplanned appearance of drilling fluid outside the path of the boring drilling as it makes it way from underground to the surface under pressure from drilling operations.
When the escape was discovered, contractors reported that they stopped drilling and contained the drilling fluids, using vacuum trucks to capture the combination of chemicals and mud.
“Berm Road will remain closed through the winter while we monitor the nearby spring. We anticipate reopening the road to the public mid-year (2026), pending environmental conditions and approval from the relevant agencies,” said a TC Energy media spokesperson in response to questions from The Hancock News last week.
“We are working closely with local residents to accommodate their needs and maintain access to the area as needed. We appreciate the community’s understanding and cooperation as we complete this important work,” the company said.
