We’ve just gotten some terrible news. Some already battered Line 6B landowners have received letters this week from a company called ET Rover Pipeline (a division of Energy Transfer) announcing a natural gas pipeline project that, if the company has its way, will traverse some Line 6B properties– snuggled up cozily, evidently, right alongside the shiny new Line 6B (and, in some cases, other pipelines already in place).
It’s a deeply disturbing letter, not least because of its triumphant tone, which describes the project as if it is already a done deal– even though it’s at the very beginning of the process. One can only assume this is a deliberate strategy to make landowners feel helpless; it has almost certainly further demoralized them.
And make no mistake about it, this pipeline project is the result of one thing: fracking. Here’s how the letter describes it:
Please join ET Rover Pipeline LLC (ET Rover) for an informational Open House regarding the construction and operation of the Rover Pipeline Project. The Rover Pipeline Project will be a new interstate natural gas pipeline that receives gas from the Marcellus and Utica shale gas formations in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio and traverses through Ohio and Michigan, and terminates at the Union Gas Dawn Hub in Ontario, Canada (Rover Pipeline).
The Rover Pipeline will consist of approximately 200 miles of pipeline laterals from the tailgate of natural gas processing plants and approximately 365 miles of mainline pipe in Ohio and Michigan, and 15 miles of mainline pipe across the border to the Union Gas Dawn Hub in Ontario, Canada. ET Rover will also need to build compression and metering stations along its route. Because of significant increases in the domestic natural gas supply due to shale gas production, the U.S. is no longer dependent on foreign sources. The construction of the Rover Pipeline will provide new natural gas pipeline infrastructure for your area.
Natural gas pipelines are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which requires companies to hold these open houses prior to filing their applications for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity. So despite the letter’s attempt to pretend that this project is inevitable, it’s really only at the very beginning of the process. What that means, however, is that it’s time to speak up and speak out before already abused and demoralized Michigan landowners have to endure a replay of the Enbridge nightmare from which, if they’re lucky, they have only just now awoken.
At this point, information is quite scarce. But we’re working on it. Rest assured we will keep you informed as more details become available. We’re preparing for action.
When and where is the informational meeting?
I am yet to receive any written notices. The only reason I am aware is that my neighbor informed me.
There are 10 scheduled, Julie. Only a few of them in MI. I’ll post all that info soon. I think the first one is mid July in Fenton. Stay tuned.
Oh boy – that’s the same company that just this week spewed pollutants all over an area in Kansas- http://www.wibw.com/home/headlines/Natural-Gas-Pipeline-Erupts-Near-Olpe-264323501.html
According to the letter I received today, the closest meeting is at the Fenton Township Hall in Fenton on Monday, July 14, 5:30-7:3- PM.
Where are you located, Starr? Do you mind contacting me back channel?
I just received a letter today. I’m from Ohio.
I have received two letters and a voice mail from them. My property is near Adrian, MI
As soon as I saw the return address on the envelope my thought was, now what? My heart sank as I read the words “Open House”. That was the phrase used in the first letter from Enbridge concerning Line 6B. Three meetings over a 300 mile distance does not seem like a great start by our new wannabe “neighbors”. I’m ready to attend 2 of the three meetings as it would be impossible to attend all 3 since 2 are held on the same date and time. Let’s tell these frackers how we feel!
I just received this same letter in the mail today. Enbridge currently has my across the street neighbors yards tore up. Does this letter I got in the mail today mean they need to use my property for this new pipeline?
Hi Chad-
Chances are, yes. But at this point I can’t say for sure. I’m working on finding out more. Please stay tuned.
Also, where are you located, Chad?
Do these pipeline companies send these letters to all homeowners in the vicinity of where they propose the new pipeline? Or do they only contact homeowners that will be directly affected?
That’s a great question, Kelly. My best guess is that it’s people directly affected, but at this point, we don’t know. I’m trying to find this out.
Howell, MI Two letters and a representative from ET showed up yesterday at my door. He wanted to answer my questions, however he admitted he didn’t know much. He receives daily updates and wanted my home number to keep me posted. Also, said he was collecting the permission papers for the new survey. mmmm
Thanks, Linda. Did you learn anything at all? Did you give permission for the survey?
The only information was that this pipe will be located next to the Vector pipeline. Didn’t know what side. No, I did not give him permission.
We got the letter also. I called the guy Jim Carter 602.999.9290 and recorded the conversation, if anyone is interested. His email address is james.carter@contractlandstaff.com
you can listen to the call here: https://soundcloud.com/zelch/energy-transfer-rover-pipeline
anymore specifics about the route this will take
Got another voice mail this evening from a representative wanting to talk to me about a pipeline going through my property. He wants me to sign a survey permission request. My property is only 300 – 500 feet wide by about 2000 feet deep totaling 13.4 acres with our house in the middle 1000 feet back from the road. This sounds like a disastrous situation for us!
I’ll be excited to hear where and when these meetings are. I’d love to go and challenge them/cause some ruckus.
I’ve posted the dates, times, and locations of the meeting in a follow up, rueresilia. Ruckus sounds great!
i have pipeline 6b running through my property in leonard MI. took them less than a week and its almost all done! I’m a landowner. about 30 feet or less from easement and truly have not been affected by noise or any of the workers, etc….everything has been on schedule and theey have been great….i watched history take place in my backyard!! what an experience!! they were even going to cut many of my trees and after talking to enbridge, they were so understanding and decided to take a different route with pipeline to save hundreds of our matured beautiful tress. thank you enbridge thank you for allowing us to keep our trees and being understanding even though they were on your cut list. truly appreciate it!! I’m hoping these landowners will have a great experience too.
bravo!!
soline from leonard MI
ps thnk you enbridge for working side by side with me !!
Soline- I’m not sure what history you think is taking place, but I’m glad to hear you’ve had a good experience. If only everyone could say the same!
We’ve received no letter yet from the “Fracking Rovers”, so to speak.
We live in the Fenton-Holly area and are still recovering from the Enbridge Line 6-B pipeline replacement that evolved into a protracted time (about 1 year) of disruption to our privacy, property, access to our home via our driveway,…. and left us with a cleared (bull-dozed) 60 foot corridor through ours and neighbors’ properties. We and neighbors now ruefully joke that Enbridge’s cleared area looks like we have our own I-75 corridor running across acres and acres of countryside…. countryside that was once the site of mature trees, meadows, groomed horse farms, and home landscaping.
In this area the original pipeline was built in the late 60’s across farmland by Lakehead Pipeline who transported REAL crude oil, seemed to do a good job of monitoring safety, permitted shallow-rooted plantings on the 60 foot easement, and contacted residents along the pipeline at least once a year regarding safety, regulations, contact information, and even sent a small gift (calendar, magnet with info, solar calculator, and the like.) Then Enbridge apparently merged/acquired the Lakehead holdings and eventually shifted to strip-mining and fracking in Alberta, Canada….sucking out the “tar sand oil” which required chemical treatment to manufacture a substance that could be forced (barely so) through the aging 6B pipeline designed in the 60’s . …… No surprise…..disaster occurs! A burst pipeline (Kalamazoo River) and ineffective Enbridge disaster response …. and insufficient methods and intent to clean up the disaster or to mindfully and meaningfully collaborate in planning/executing fair consequences for their grave error….i.e., harm done to the persons, community, environment at the site. (Now my concern in the pipeline spanning the Mackinaw Straits.)
Sigh…
Thanks for listening…..back in 2012 I actively sought to inform our community along Line 6B of their rights and resources, attempted to network with other community/environmental advocates throughout Michigan, challenged and questioned every move by Enbridge representatives….. and now am so frustrated, discouraged with the lack of any perceived impact of our efforts to have Enbridge take its pipeline issues back to Canada, to reconsider the long term consequences of the production/transportation of tar sand oil, to develop a sincere respect for maintaining the integrity of the environment and persons/communities along their pipelines,
…. and I’m afraid I’ve seen that BIG money really does over-ride just about every other concern. It’s so difficult these days to be a good “steward” for this fragile planet with which we’ve been entrusted……
HOWEVER, 🙂 I’m still open to any encouragement/support to join others in meeting this next challenge…….
I have not received any letters yet. I’m north of davisburg, the 6B line runs through my backyard. Restoration is almost complete (one item remaining to replace a survey marker).
Is this Lainie Soline Warren of Realty Executives Associates, Leonard, MI, License No: 6501277542? It would seem entirely likely …
🙂 yes! how are you Mr. Donald? love your webpage very bright. enjoyed it thank you!! 🙂
so far its been great. Im praying it continues that way. Im sorry if there has been bad experiences. 🙁 . sorry!! i drove by the completed areas today alongside about 6 miles. still long way to go. saw some of the workers carry the turtles to the ponds to safety. ugghhhh….taking deep breath praying its almost done. also my trash was invaded by coons last week and saw a lot of the workers pickup the scattered trash and put in bags. so far so good though. they did exactly what they said they would do. think they are learning along the way to do things right.
does any know if they do the pipeline testing first or landscaping first after pipeline has been buried? and do they do testing when the whole pipeline complete from a-z or just completion in our area.
They’ll do testing when the entire line is installed. And they will bury the line before they test it. Restoration (i.e., landscaping) will come later– possibly much later.
thank you jeff. can’t wait!! what was great about all this was that it was very cruel green considered . they fenced both sides of the pipeline to avoid deer from falling into the excavated areas. the project took less than 2 weeks which at first it was predicted to go for months. The noise level was very minimal to be honest. and work stopped at 6pm. i was only 30 feet away or less from new pipeline. i was expecting more noise. they were supposed to cut a whole acre of tree lines of trees(1000 FEET) but they changed the plans and at the end avoided the cutting of 1000 feet of trees. Truly i was very very happy. It took good communication with them and asking them to do whatever they can to go around the trees and they did. How can i not be happy …that was just the beginning…..of a good experience…and it hasn’t stopped since. I was very caught off guard with all this but I’m very grateful at the end of this experience i can say it was very very positive. are you all communicating with your right of way agent ? i had a wonderful attorney that is very experienced with pipeline negotiations. She was the one that made this experience very positive. I thank kim every day!! I do animal rescues and today it was great to see the workers go out of their way to pull a few turtles out to safety. many frogs were also put i the pond to safety. I thank everyone. I understand many had this project started last year but i think enbridge has learned through each experience to make this a better experience to landowners. i pray everyone has the positive experience and will keep praying.
oh at night i can hear the pipe make gurgling noises and thought the other night it was a wild bear in the woods…ha ha ha ha……………………wish i would have known !!!!! guess pipeline has a mind and voice of its own!!
ps i did ask my neighbors in my area and so far most have had a good positive experience. did your project just start or did it start last year? jeff thank you for the information truly appreciate it
is there a websiste to share great photos of this project
I was on phase one, which they started two years ago. They are still not entirely finished on my property. It has been a nightmare more or less from start to finish. We went through about five different land agents; some were better than others. I’m glad you have had a good experience and I hope it’s because Enbridge learned from those of us whom they so horribly mistreated. But we spoke up in the hopes that it would go better for others. Just remember, however, when you are praising Enbridge, that there are many, many, many of your fellow citizens who were not treated respectfully or even listened to. Feel free to spend some time here at the blog reading some of those horror stories. Also, I’m assuming I know the Kim who was your attorney. She is a friend and she is indeed great.
oh jeff. I’m also hoping the lessons learned will help future landowners. in the meantime have you contacted kim to see if she can get them to do what they are supposed to do. yes kim was a blessing. she was very understudying and seriously i would have never had this great experience without her. i do have to call her due to heavy trucks going up and down driveway messed up my new driveway bad. so I’m praying enbridge will help me with that. but they did follow through and did what they said they would do. how do you think your issues can be resolved? is there anything we can do to help? yes some right of way agents can be a bit difficult to work with. are you in oakland? today they started the cleanup process yeah!! taking down fencing etc……i pray that my fellow citizen/neighbors will be treated fairly and glad kim is your friend. she truly is a keeper. i just love love love her!! one of the most amazing women to meet. i hope the ones that are having issues please reach kim because kim is whom you need when negotiating with enbridge. again thank youkim!! and jeff are you in oakland county?
another way i was able to remain positive is that i was glad they were able to replace the old 1968 and 1972 pipelines. too scary to think they were going to keep using those. sad part is that many title companies i realized go back 40 years to do their title searches and some buyers are finding themselves buying properties with pipeline easements. i was one of them. title company should go back more than 40or 50 years so they can catch all the pipeline easements etc…..