Leatherstocking pulls plug on NM build

BY STACI WILSON

Residents of New Milford Borough won’t be getting natural gas service to their homes.

Leatherstocking Gas Company told borough council Thursday that it was no longer financially feasible to bring the service to the town.

Russ Miller, of Leatherstocking, said the cost to hook on with the DTE pipeline would be $18,000 – a cost too high for the New Milford project to bear.

With Blue Ridge School District’s decision to not convert to natural gas two years ago, there were no anchor customers on the proposed line.

Leatherstocking told New Milford that they could still bring the gas if enough customers signed on to the project.

Council members, specifically Rick Ainey, led the charge to bring the service to the borough.

Miller said the current low cost of fuel oil and propane is hampering the development. He said the company only plans to build the line to service the county jail, recycling center and a manufacturing facility in South Montrose this year.

“The bottom line is New Milford Borough is not going to get gas,” Ainey said. “We did a lot of work for you,” he added.

Miller said Leatherstocking wanted to bring the service to New Milford but that it was “always a marginal project.”

In a statement release by borough council, members expressed disappointment in the announcement from the gas company and thanked community members for their support of the project.

Council said in the statement: “We want to be clear, New Milford Borough Council is not stepping down or give up on bringing Natural Gas service to New Milford Borough.”