Health officials launch pipeline pollution study

State public health officials will launch a study to find out if a natural gas pipeline compressor station has polluted an area of northeast Georgia. At issue is whether air, soil and water near the Williams Transco compressor station in Comer has been contaminated with high toxic chemical levels. The station has already been on the Georgia Hazardous Site Inventory for its soil contamination by PCB’s--which are chemicals commonly used as coolants and transformer lubricants. The study helmed by the state Division of Public Health begins next month, and should have a final report early next year.