Opponents of the development of natural gas in New York have been protesting everything related to the topic, including Inergy, L.P., one of the largest taxpayers in Schuyler and Tioga Counties. Cherie Messore takes a moment to look at two neighboring New York Counties and two very different reactions to the company and the services it offers.

While a small group of people protested at a proposed natural gas storage facility site in Schuyler County this week, the 20,000 residents of the Town of Owego in nearby Tioga County were celebrating. Why? Their 2012 school district taxes were reduced by 15%, thanks to the natural gas storage facility there operated by Central New York Oil and Gas.

Central New York Oil and Gas (CNYOG) is owned by Inergy, the largest independent natural gas storage operator in the northeast. The company isn’t a natural gas producer: its purpose is to store natural gas until it’s needed during peak periods and then transport natural gas (through the interstate pipeline system) to market and meet the needs of utility consumers. In Tioga County, CNYOG is also a welcomed corporate citizen.

The Stagecoach Natural Gas Storage Facility opened in 2002. It’s a cutting edge, high performance facility with ultra efficient storage and withdrawal capabilities and an accompanying NS1 electric driven compressor station. CNYOG also owns and operates 30 miles of pipelines in Tioga County associated with the storage facility.

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