Pipeline’s future could have financial impact on multiple counties

Millions of dollars are at stake for several counties depending on the future of the Comanche Trail Pipeline.

The Comanche Trail Pipeline will provide a direct tax benefit to the counties traversed by the project. The projected ad valorem taxes, which are calculated by cost-per-mile based on the age, size and diameter of the pipeline, add up to millions for counties.

Below is a list of the counties:

Pecos: $52,000

Reeves: $1.7 million

Culberson: $1.5 million

Hudspeth: $1.9 million

El Paso: $513,000

Total: $5.9 million

Construction will be postponed for another two weeks following a federal judge’s orders, which could possibly delay a tax benefit.

“It would be a detrimental effect on us; however, I understand the environmental issues as well,” Hudspeth County Judge Mike Doyal said.

The money would go a long way in his county, adding about a third to its yearly budget, money he said the county needs. “About all the departments in the county need more money in order to make improvements, including road, and brings and some improvements in the courthouse as well.” He added, “Hopefully we will be able to put part of it back to the tax-payers and lower the tax rates a little bit.” He went on to say “about all

The delays in construction make it more likely that the pipeline will not be completed by its projected date of January 2017, but a spokeswoman from the company disagreed. Public Information Officer Vicki Granado wrote in an email saying, “There has been no impact to our timeline, which is to have the pipeline in service January 2017.”