How upsetting to read about the fatal accident during work this weekend on the Millennium Pipeline.
I visited the Blue Hill Plaza offices of Millennium Pipeline Co. LLC of Pearl River in June with TJN staff writer Laura Incalcaterra. That was just days before work was to begin on the 182-mile project.
The steep and rocky terrain near the Orange-Rockland border was seen as the most challenging step, and so work was to start there, and would take a lot of the project’s time and effort, explained Millennium spokesman Mike Armiak. Laura had some great questions as Millennium folk explained the challenges posed by the rock, and rough terrain through Kakiat Park and Harriman State Park. (Saturday’s accident happened on a steep slope in Harriman State Park in Tuxedo).
In the June meeting, Millennium described the purpose of the replacement pipe (30 inches where 10-inch pipe had been, with more compression capability, meaning the ability to ship much more gas from the Southern Tier across the Lower Hudson Valley). We also heard very clear messages about safety. There were to be supervisors on site daily, including third-party inspectors. We were invited to visit, though would have to undergo safety training.
On Saturday, less than three months into the work, and still hammering away at that first 9 miles, Pat McCaffrey of Lebanon, N.J. died when the sideboom he was operating on a very steep hill apparently toppled. The investigations into the tragedy continue. At this point, the hows and whys remain unanswered. What we do know is this: A man left for work one day and did not return. That is truly a tragedy.