Question of safety of gas pipeline on campus raised

Friday, May 18, 2001 | 10:43 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A new question about the proposed state college in Henderson, concerning the safety of a high-pressure natural gas pipeline, was raised Thursday by Sen. Bob Coffin.

Coffin, D-Las Vegas, raised the issue at a meeting of the Senate Finance Committee, which approved a $1 billion operating budget -- $15.6 million less than recommended by Gov. Kenny Guinn -- for the University and Community College System of Nevada over the next two years.

The Assembly Ways and Means Committee also approved the budget.

Coffin said he discovered the pipeline on the proposed campus last weekend as he inspected the land. He said he has notified Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, the chief backer of the college.

Perkins, however, said he didn't see the pipeline posing a problem.

"If it needs to be moved, it can be moved," Perkins said. "It runs right next to residential areas so it's obviously not a safety concern.

"If it becomes a concern, we will build around it -- we will have it moved."

Coffin also questioned who would pay for removing the pipeline if that action becomes warranted.

Perkins said he did not know the answer, but members of the Senate Finance Committee told Coffin that it could be taken care of when legislators get around to considering money for the campus.

Sen. Ray Rawson, R-Las Vegas, said Coffin had a "valid concern" but the issue would be taken up later in another budget.

Also Thursday, the Finance Committee accepted the recommendation of a budget subcommittee that the state college start at 500 students next year rather than 1,000 as Gov. Guinn had recommended.

Assemblywoman Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas, said she supported the concept of a state college in Henderson. But she said now may not be the time because there are so many other areas in the budget needing money.

But Perkins told her that if the state college is not started, those students would go to UNLV, where the cost per student is much higher. He said the UNLV budget would have to be supplemented.

Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, said the Legislature may want to consider shifting the education programs out of UNLV to the state college, which is aimed at training teachers and nurses.