Client Story: Town of Richmond

The Problem
Developers wanted to locate a high-pressure gas pipeline through the Berkshires town of Richmond, Massachusetts to serve a gas-fired power plant in the city of Pittsfield.The pipeline would have dramatic adverse environmental and land use impacts on scenicroads, agricultural land, wells and septic systems, among other things.
The Town Administrator approached BCK to ask for help in rerouting the pipeline. 

BCK’s Response
BCK spearheaded a multi-pronged regulatory and judicial litigation effort that lasted many years. BCK helped marshal grassroots resources and local officials to present a case that effectively countered the huge resources brought to bear by the out of state developer of the generating plant.

The Outcome
The pipeline was rerouted completely out of the town. It ultimately made the route much shorter than the developers had originally planned, making it less expensive for the developer and preserving the land use and environmental values that Richmond prized.