From the Livingston Daily. We’ll have more to add to this very shortly…
3 Comments
connie watson
on August 15, 2012 at 2:25 pm
It is correct that residents are afraid and energy tapped when it comes to Enbridge. I think the bigger problem is, that there is no solid, secure help from our officials and court system , that gives hope of any kind that the landowners matter in this insane fiasco at all.
Why is it such an” iffy ” battle, if our officials in Livingston County are so concerned. Maybe if Enbridge would just do it RIGHT, things could work out for all concerned. Do I really have an idea they will? NO!!!! Not until they are forced to. As landowners, they laugh at us. They continually ignore anyone they do not want to deal with. If our county and township officials are so concerned, how about not letting Enbridge off the hook so easily by allowing them to ignore what they choose to ignore, leaving someone to come up with another way to get them to respond to them? Enbridge is like a spoiled child and our officials are like one of those kind of parents that throw their hands in the air and say “what can I do, he just won’t listen. There is much more at stake here than Enbridge losing money for lack of production. Wher is the help for the people of this county, who help support all in the county. Right now it’s just the landowners in the soup, what happens down the road, and who is next in line?
I cannot fathom how this is being allowed when there is clearly so much evidence against their “work” across this state and our neighboring states! Evidence such as the mojority of their pipeline breaking and causing spills just like what we see in the example above. Those holes are everywhere! Is there no end to this destruction? If Enbridge is so greedy (and they are), even they should be concerned about their costly mistakes and just do the job RIGHT. I’m against the project anyway. It could most likely ruin us nationally, especially at this rate. Why do so many officials haave their eyes closed? Since this is a national and international project gone sour and greatly threatening our natural resources, why won’t the federal officials take this seriously? Enbridge is NOT God, they are just a company that can be stopped by the right people. For us, it will take more than getting to our state reps and congressmen. Some of us have already tried without a response. We need to get MULTIPLE letters to D.C. before our beloved Great Lakes are poisoned!
Please oh please write multiple letters. And call. A lot. Call your local officials, your state senator, your state rep, your US rep, Stabenow, the PHMSA, and all the rest. And don’t stop until they acknowledge you. I know it is demoralizing to be repeatedly ignored and dismissed, but it’s important.
If you’re a landowner who can’t get an agreement, call a lawyer. Call your state senator’s office too. Call the Governor’s office. You can get help on these specific issues.
As for the larger issues at hand, Stabenow’s office actually told me that they aren’t hearing from MIchiganders on this subject. The Governor’s office told me that it’s not their issue. It’s disheartening, but neither response will stop me from bugging them. They need to know that people want them to DO something. But they also need to know what you want them to do — they can’t figure it out on their own. Draw them a picture if you have to.
For instance, you can tell them that you want them to at least ask some simple questions. Why can’t Enbridge make this line safer? Why can’t Enbridge pledge to go above and beyond the regulations, like they promised to do on Northern Gateway? Tell them that you want someone to ask Enbridge why they ignore local ordinances (like Howell’s) when their Social Responsibility Policy pledges to do otherwise. Tell them that you’d like someone to ask Enbridge why they are in such a hurry. Ask them why Enbridge gets to saddle Michigan with a pipeline that is designed to carry plain old crude when it will be carrying an ever-increasing volume of DilBit. Tell them that you’d like someone to ask Enbridge why Michigan should let them transport DilBit across its greatest resources when they’ve proven themselves incapable of doing it responsibly. Ask them if they’ve read the full NTSB report on the Marshall investigation. Tell them that you’d like to know why Enbridge contractors who were hired to CLEAN up the Marshall spill actually COVERED it up (with rocks, and sand, and canvas, and grass).
The new Line 6B is going to happen. I prefer to be pragmatic about it because I know that hysterics and emotion won’t win anyone over. But if we present these very reasonable questions to our officials — those who are supposed to protect our interests and rights and safety — I believe that we have a better chance of getting some answers. The best thing to do is to make a lot of noise. We should nag our officials, tell them that we need someone to hold Enbridge to a higher standard. Tell them that you’re paying attention. Tell them that when another spill happens in Michigan history will show which side they were on.
It is correct that residents are afraid and energy tapped when it comes to Enbridge. I think the bigger problem is, that there is no solid, secure help from our officials and court system , that gives hope of any kind that the landowners matter in this insane fiasco at all.
Why is it such an” iffy ” battle, if our officials in Livingston County are so concerned. Maybe if Enbridge would just do it RIGHT, things could work out for all concerned. Do I really have an idea they will? NO!!!! Not until they are forced to. As landowners, they laugh at us. They continually ignore anyone they do not want to deal with. If our county and township officials are so concerned, how about not letting Enbridge off the hook so easily by allowing them to ignore what they choose to ignore, leaving someone to come up with another way to get them to respond to them? Enbridge is like a spoiled child and our officials are like one of those kind of parents that throw their hands in the air and say “what can I do, he just won’t listen. There is much more at stake here than Enbridge losing money for lack of production. Wher is the help for the people of this county, who help support all in the county. Right now it’s just the landowners in the soup, what happens down the road, and who is next in line?
I cannot fathom how this is being allowed when there is clearly so much evidence against their “work” across this state and our neighboring states! Evidence such as the mojority of their pipeline breaking and causing spills just like what we see in the example above. Those holes are everywhere! Is there no end to this destruction? If Enbridge is so greedy (and they are), even they should be concerned about their costly mistakes and just do the job RIGHT. I’m against the project anyway. It could most likely ruin us nationally, especially at this rate. Why do so many officials haave their eyes closed? Since this is a national and international project gone sour and greatly threatening our natural resources, why won’t the federal officials take this seriously? Enbridge is NOT God, they are just a company that can be stopped by the right people. For us, it will take more than getting to our state reps and congressmen. Some of us have already tried without a response. We need to get MULTIPLE letters to D.C. before our beloved Great Lakes are poisoned!
Please oh please write multiple letters. And call. A lot. Call your local officials, your state senator, your state rep, your US rep, Stabenow, the PHMSA, and all the rest. And don’t stop until they acknowledge you. I know it is demoralizing to be repeatedly ignored and dismissed, but it’s important.
If you’re a landowner who can’t get an agreement, call a lawyer. Call your state senator’s office too. Call the Governor’s office. You can get help on these specific issues.
As for the larger issues at hand, Stabenow’s office actually told me that they aren’t hearing from MIchiganders on this subject. The Governor’s office told me that it’s not their issue. It’s disheartening, but neither response will stop me from bugging them. They need to know that people want them to DO something. But they also need to know what you want them to do — they can’t figure it out on their own. Draw them a picture if you have to.
For instance, you can tell them that you want them to at least ask some simple questions. Why can’t Enbridge make this line safer? Why can’t Enbridge pledge to go above and beyond the regulations, like they promised to do on Northern Gateway? Tell them that you want someone to ask Enbridge why they ignore local ordinances (like Howell’s) when their Social Responsibility Policy pledges to do otherwise. Tell them that you’d like someone to ask Enbridge why they are in such a hurry. Ask them why Enbridge gets to saddle Michigan with a pipeline that is designed to carry plain old crude when it will be carrying an ever-increasing volume of DilBit. Tell them that you’d like someone to ask Enbridge why Michigan should let them transport DilBit across its greatest resources when they’ve proven themselves incapable of doing it responsibly. Ask them if they’ve read the full NTSB report on the Marshall investigation. Tell them that you’d like to know why Enbridge contractors who were hired to CLEAN up the Marshall spill actually COVERED it up (with rocks, and sand, and canvas, and grass).
The new Line 6B is going to happen. I prefer to be pragmatic about it because I know that hysterics and emotion won’t win anyone over. But if we present these very reasonable questions to our officials — those who are supposed to protect our interests and rights and safety — I believe that we have a better chance of getting some answers. The best thing to do is to make a lot of noise. We should nag our officials, tell them that we need someone to hold Enbridge to a higher standard. Tell them that you’re paying attention. Tell them that when another spill happens in Michigan history will show which side they were on.