A couple of interesting news items worthy of your attention:
First, yesterday’s NPR program “Stateside” featured a segment on the use (and perhaps abuse) of eminent domain. And guess what company was the primary subject of the discussion? Our friends Carol Brimhall and Connie Watson are featured in the story. Following the piece is a conversation with attorney Alan Ackerman, who has represented Line 6B landowners. At the end of the piece, Ackerman provides an example of a company that has done things right. Who, you ask? Well, it shouldn’t come as a surprise given who took the time to talk with us at the Pipeline Safety Trust conference last month.
The second item is an article in the Livingston Daily Press & Argus featuring Connie and Tom Watson— fine, decent, kind, ordinary people. Do they look like a “special interest group” to you? Do they strike you as people who will just “never be happy.”
Well, right now TransCanada & Enbridge are the 2 hot button pipelines for Eminent Domain.
Then, I just found this news:
Oil And Gas Lobbying In Canada Overshadows All Other Pressure Groups: Polaris Study
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/12/04/oil-gas-lobbying-canada-polaris_n_2237826.html
Then, a web site about what can happen with weak oversight & outright corruption about pipeline safety:
http://www.webofconspiracy.com/TimeLine.htm
Anyone want to tell the Ryba family they are a “special interest group”, after what they went through?
Tom and I want to thank everyone for the support and your comments. There is one thing we want to clear up. We are very concerned about Marshall and the spill and what the people have suffered.The threat to our Great Lakes and enviroment also is of great concern to us. What I was trying to say is that the landowners problems are different , yet Enbridge claims that Marshall is the reason for opposition from us (landowners). Our dispute (Tom and me), is not only a 5 ft. strip of land, as the Enbrige spokesman implied. Our dispute involves acreage, not footage. Very large portions of land will be destroyed completely so they have a place to “pile dirt” is also in dispute. Areas they keep expanding. Our dispute involves huge loss in many different ways. The “Good Faith” offer that was sent to us also included a contract that benefitted Enbridge only in very vague language, along with an information packet that explained the condemnation process. Again, thanks to all. We wiah you the best.
Sincerely, Connie Watson