At a Glance

Residents have reported a sulfur-like odor from the pipeline.Sabal Trail Pipeline and county officials say there is no cause for alarm.

A foul-smelling odor coming from a natural gas pipeline that went online just five weeks ago has concerned central Florida residents.

According to , a sulfur-like odor has emitted from the in Florida's Marion County and has been since July 16. Officials with the pipeline have attempted toreassure residents that no natural gas is leaking, but the strange smells are still concerning nearby residents and environmental groups.

The 515-mile pipeline carries naturalgas from Alabama,through Georgiaand into Florida.

Marion County resident Janet Barrow told WSFU she has not smelled the odor but has neighbors who have.

“I have friends that live in that area and downwind from it. They have businesses on the river and such. And they’re smelling it up to over four miles away," she said. "And this has been going on for more than a month now.”

According to an incident , a hazardous materials squad investigated numerous 911 reports and found no leak. Crews did, however, locate an odor emitting from the pipeline’s odorant tanks that addsulfurto the odorless natural gas, meantto alert consumers of possible leaks.

The leak found on the odorant tanks was capped by a technician.

More reports were filed on Aug.5, and again, the company said "at no timehas there been a natural gas leak from the pipeline and there is no danger to the public.:

"SabalTrail is actively working to permanently resolve this issue as soon as possible, and we will continue to coordinate these activities with the county’s first responders,"Andrea Grover, a Sabal Trail representative, saidin a statement released to media outlets.

Environmental groups have protested the pipeline for years and worry about the impacts to rivers and watersheds such as theWithlacoochee river, which runs through Marion County.

Despite reassurances from the company and other local officials, the public remains alarmed, according to Merrillee Malwitz-Jipsin of the Sierra Club of Florida.

“They don’t know to call Sabal Trail. Most of them don’t know Sabal Trail exists in their community still. Which is amazing, but that’s the reports I’m getting from the people that live in the community,” she said, adding that informing and educating the public would help alleviate fears.

“It would be great if there could be some sort of public service explaining what it is and what an explosion looks like. And what is an incineration zone? And how far is that reaching? It shouldn’t just be on the public to do their research,” she said.