Yes! Communities reverses course on propane conversion at Elk Ridge
New gas line installation to begin in spring; questions remain about costs and implementation
“I want to thank you. Thank you for listening, and thank you for helping. Thank you, County.” ~ Elk Ridge resident, Katie Rosenbaum
Yes! Communities has abandoned its controversial plan to convert Elk Ridge Mobile Home Park from natural gas to propane, officials announced at Wednesday’s Board of Public Utilities meeting. Instead, the company will work with Los Alamos County and the Department of Energy to replace the existing natural gas lines.
For the first time since the issue of gas-to-propane at Elk Ridge began to pop up in public meetings in September, a representative from Yes! Communities was on hand to give statements and answer questions.
Mike Askins, vice president of acquisitions and capital projects for Yes! Communities, said the company concluded that “replacing the existing natural gas lines is the best option” after surveying residents and consulting with engineers and utility companies. Due to winter weather, the installation of new gas lines will not begin until spring 2025.
While residents expressed relief at the decision, many urged better communication going forward.
“I’m very thankful that representatives from Yes have been here,” said Elk Ridge resident Cristina Pendergraft. “My concerns now are that we had to get to this point to begin with. The communication from Yes was non-existent and it caused a tremendous amount of stress for the residents.”
Key questions remain unanswered, including who will bear the conversion costs and exactly which homes have gas lines running underneath them. Officials previously estimated 62 homes were on top of gas lines, but that number has been revised to 25 homes after a more detailed investigation.
Ironically, the building most squarely sitting on top of a gas line is not a home at all. “The office is probably the worst one,” said Clay Moseley, deputy utility manager, adding that a gas line “goes right underneath” that building. Other than that, gas lines “just barely nip” the area beneath most of the affected homes, he said.
Moseley then explained that the new system would use modern materials and be relocated to run under roadways rather than beneath homes. While construction will cause some disruption, a gas system is easier to install than other utilities because the pipes are small. And service won't be interrupted during winter months, he said.
Department of Public Utilities Manager Philo Shelton reassured residents that anyone with a gas line under their home will be notified. He said the County will continue monthly leak detection surveys until the project is complete. The most recent survey found no leaks in the system.
Residents can contact DPU's customer service (505-662-8333, or LADPU.com/DPU) to check whether their home has gas lines underneath. The county will also send new notifications to affected homes and maintain an informational webpage about the project that will be updated as plans develop.
One would hope they have the foresight to go ahead and update any and all utilities that can be updated in the same dig, so these issues won’t continue to crop up in the coming years.