Selected Articles         Marathon-Ashland Pipeline Update by Dave Horn Over many objections from environmental organizations, Marathon-Ashland Corporation has completed installation of its 160-mile long pipeline to transport oil products (gasoline, kerosene and jet fuel) from its refinery along the Ohio River to a distribution center in Franklin County.  Most of the pipeline route follows a century old gas pipeline easement. As many of you know, pipeline construction required a 100-foot wide swath of clearcut through some of the most scenic and treasured natural areas of southeastern Ohio. These areas include Crane Hollow State Nature Preserve, Conkle's Hollow, Camp Oty'Okwa (site of our annual Eco-Weekend) and Clear Creek Metro Park. Although these areas are not primeval old-growth forests, they contain mature 60 to 90 year-old secondary forests very much like those that greeted pioneers 200 years ago. In response to environmental concerns, and in accordance with conditions of their permits, pipeline installation crews tunneled under stream beds and roads but elsewhere the pipeline was installed using heavy equipment by trenching and filling.  This greatly increases erosion in hilly areas. Last summer construction permits were suspended while the contractors addressed erosion issues, which they did (to the satisfaction of inspectors). The pipeline right-of-way has been graded to the original contours and seeded with a fast-growing mix of grasses and legumes, which should help stem soil erosion after this fall and winter. Courts have held that Marathon-Ashland is acting within the law, but 100-year-old easements have few environmental restrictions. What happens next? Of greatest concern is the possibility of accidental pipeline breaches spilling oil products into streams, wetlands and woods. Pipeline accidents are rare but they do occur and we should make certain that Marathon-Ashland maintains adequate inspections and has a workable fast-action plan to deal with spills. Beyond that, the corridor of cleared land has impacts on the surrounding forest. As it happens, the pipeline bisects a forest tract in the Hocking Hills where my students and I have been doing a biodiversity inventory since 1998. Crisis is opportunity, as they say, and since 2000 we have been monitoring impacts of construction within the pipeline easement on insects and birds in the surrounding forests. We have found that ground beetles of the forest interior refuse to walk across the 100 foot wide opening of the easement. Some dragonflies and butterflies are using the pipeline cut as a migration highway. Wood-boring beetles are more prevalent along the edge of the pipeline cut than in the intact forest.  Cowbirds are using the open pipeline corridor as an entry into the forest, and cowbird nest parasitism of forest warblers has increased in the past three years. One affected species is the Cerulean Warbler, a candidate for threatened species status under the Endangered Species Act. For more information about the pipeline, click on http://www.stoppipeline.org. If you're not Internet savvy, contact me at 614-262-0312 for more information. Dave Horn is Professor of Entomology at the Ohio State University. He is vice president of Columbus Audubon, chairman of our conservation committee, Avid Birder participant, and reformed Hell's Birder. Back to Newsletter Articles Index Page Page updated 11/22/03 © Columbus Audubon 2003