The recent announcement that a natural gas pipeline serving Louisiana and Mississippi communities from Winnsboro to Natchez will be improved and continue to operate is good news.

The owner of the pipeline, American Midstream Midla, had sought to simply abandon the pipeline, which was installed in the 1920s and runs from Monroe to Baton Rouge.

Now, Midla has agreed to replace the pipeline in our area with a larger one, rather than abandon it.

The company’s decision comes after much work by the Louisiana Municipal Gas Authority, including Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland, who serves on that authority’s executive committee. Likewise, a number of people on the Natchez side of the river should be applauded for their work on the agreement, including Chandler Russ of Natchez Inc., Darryl Grennell representing the Adams County Board of Supervisors and Natchez Mayor Butch Brown, among others.

The agreement means easy access to natural gas will continue for communities and businesses located along the pipeline. That improved pipeline and access to natural gas is also important to companies who are looking for sites to locate new businesses, meaning all-important new jobs.

Unfortunately, the agreement does not extend the pipeline beyond Natchez, meaning service to the Woodville area is still at risk.

However, the company’s willingness to work with government and industry leaders here gives hope that Woodville and Mississippi leaders can come to a favorable agreement for other communities served currently served by the Midla pipeline — an agreement either with the Midla owners or with nearby pipeline operators.