NATCHEZ — Adams County elected officials say they can do little to prevent dozens of Kingston area customers from losing natural gas service in the coming months.

A total of 154 customers in Kingston will be impacted when American Midstream Partners caps its natural gas line at Cloverdale later this year.

The company is installing a new pipeline from Franklin Parish into Adams County, replacing a 1920s-era 8-inch line that runs from Monroe to Baton Rouge with a 12-inch line that will end in Natchez.

Municipalities south of Natchez — for example, Woodville — have found alternative pipelines with which to connect to keep gas service once the new line is made active and the old line is closed.

But the 154 customers in Kingston area do not have a company willing to run new lines to their area, forcing them to either convert to electric or propane service.

“I’ve had propane before, but I’ve had natural gas for 40 to 50 years,” area resident Danny Goldman said.

“I do not want propane. You have to set a big 300-gallon tank in your yard, the price of it varies and you don’t ever know how it increases. If I have to go anything, I will have to go all electric, and that will cost me $8,600, not counting the new gas hot water heater and the gas heating unit I have. I’m going to be sunk about $12,000 into this deal.”

District 2 Supervisor David Carter said he has been trying to find a solution for residents of the area, but the only solution would be to have a new company run several miles of line to keep service active.

“That pipeline is 80-90 years old, the pipes are bolted together and there are gas leaks, and that is why the company is replacing the part they are,” he said.

“Even if we can find a company that will take it over, you have got to do the permits, all the environmental studies, before you can put in a new line,” he said. “Even if we find that, it will be a lengthy process, at least a year, before they could start. There is no short term solution.”

District 32 Sen. Bob Dearing said he’s had “about a half dozen friends out there who are really concerned about this,” and that while he’s contacted gas service providers about the matter, he hasn’t heard back from them.

Nothing can be done from a legislative level, Dearing said.

“Almost to a person, (my friends) tell me they would be willing to pay an extra service fee to keep up the line, or to install a line, but I have not heard back from (providers),” he said.

“I’ve also called and talked to the public service commissioner, his attorney and one of his staff members, and they all tell me it is nothing they can do to keep the line from closing.”

Goldman said that while residents of the area wait to see if something can be done, he doesn’t think they’re being treated fairly.

“This is the 21st century, and to be losing natural gas service, that’s just hard to believe,” he said. “Because once we lose it, we won’t ever get it again.”