GREEN BAY, Wis. (NBC 26) — A once bustling method of fuel transportation, Northeast Wisconsin's only gas pipeline still sits inactive after over five years since it was shut down.
Now, Republican State Senator Roger Roth says it's a priority to get it reopened.
"This is something we've been leading the charge on since the moment this pipe closed six years ago," he said.
The 60-plus-year-old West Shore pipelineruns from Milwaukee to Green Bay. Roth says corrosion and leaks have left it beyond fixing. But the Appleton-based lawmaker says he's beginning to reach out to stakeholders to see what can be done to replace the pipe.
"I know the economics didn't make sense six years ago, but certainly they do now when we're approaching $5 a gallon gas," he said.
Roth plans to meet with anyone who would have interest, including producers, users and pipeline owners.
"[There are] 1.2 million people relying on fuel being trucked in across Wisconsin," he said. "This is untenable. This is not a sustainable thing for our economic and energy security here in Northeast Wisconsin."
According to AAA, the time it takes to truck gas from a distribution center can impact costs at the pump. The next closest pipeline terminal to Green Bay is located in Waupun.
"It seems like a very siloed solution when we should be thinking more comprehensively about how to tackle this issue," Democratic State Representative Kristina Shelton said.
The West Shore pipeline spilled over 50,000 gallons of gas in the Town of Jackson back in 2012. Shelton says it's time to move forward.
"Green Bay is also uniquely positioned as well to take on projects that would advance us into the next 10 to 15 years to position ourselves for climate resiliency and climate change and green infrastructure and green energy," she said.
The Green Bay lawmaker says a $3.8 billion state surplus can alleviate increased gas prices.
"That budget surplus that we have right now is the number one way that we could be offsetting rising costs for all Wisconsinites," Shelton said.
There is no set timeline on when the pipeline could reopen. Roth says he still needs to meet with stakeholders before it can move forward.
When it's active, the Port of Green Bay still brings in almost 400,000 tons of petroleum products.
