Here is a fine account of the Brandon Township board meeting to discuss the Enbridge project. I don’t know what’s happening in other counties, but it seems that Brandon Township, thanks largely to their excellent supervisor Kathy Thurman, is the only municipality in Oakland County taking any serious action to protect landowners and the environment in this matter.
A Fenton area landowner finds himself in a situation that is likely quite similar to that faced by many others:
The new pipe line is forcing me to have a new septic field put in place. Because of the new pipeline the field can no longer be placed in the area it’s currently in. Originally they wanted to put a 4 ft high 900 sq raised field in my back yard. This location would eliminate any chance of putting an out building on my property. I was not happy with this situation and started to deal with it yesterday. I spoke to Bo at the county and he decided the best location would be my front yard because it has a perfect natural slope. The slope would eliminate the need for a raised field and would not change the structure of my property. They stated it would look the same as it does now. My well is located in the same area and they stated it will be moved. I am concerned over that because my well is actually so good (tasting). Bo from the county has been excellent and very straight forward with Enbridge. He doesnt seem to be intimidated by their power.
Here is a couple things I am going to ask for:
If new well is dug I want a new well pump put in place (with warranty)
I want a warranty put in place on the new field and the pump that is required to get the sewage to the field
I want my septic tanks pumpedI am looking for suggestions. They are coming out tomorrow to look at the front and dig some soil samples. I don’t know much about septic systems or anything I need to be aware of. My septic tanks and treatment sand area are in the back of my house and the field will now be placed in the front. This is approx 30 to 40 yards away. Will this be an issue? Please pass this information on to the group and hopefully someone with knowledge of this could help me out. Thank you.
I am no septic expert. I only suggested that he hire a septic expert for advice and an estimate and then ask Enbridge for compensation that will pay for the work. In my opinion, it is better to be able to hire your own contractor than to have Enbridge do it. What do others think?
According to our ROW agent, construction is set to begin July 23rd at US 23 and heading west. Then, in mid to late August, they’ll begin moving east from US 23. Restoration work won’t begin until the spring.
Let’s share: where are you in your negotiations with Enbridge? Have they gone smoothly?What have been the most difficult challenges you’ve faced? What have been the sticking points? Do you think you’ve been treated fairly by Enbridge and its agents? Are you happy? What have you learned from the experience? Please comment below!
A sensible editorial from the Detroit Free Press on the need for state regulatory oversight of Enbridge’s activities in the state.
Is Enbridge going to do work on your property? If so, you really should take some time to read their Environmental Impact Report. Are you concerned about how they clear trees and shrubs? Do you want them burning on your property? Discharging test water that they run through the pipe on to your land?
If you haven’t seen the story yet, the NTSB likens Enbridge to the Keystone Cops.
Hello everyone. We are property owners who will be directly affected by Enbridge as they seek to “replace” miles of Line 6B pipeline. We have been negotiating with Enbridge for nearly six months about their use of our property. Perhaps you have been doing so as well.
We believe that all of us could/would have benefitted during these negotiations from more communication with our neighbors and other residents who find themselves in similar situations. And while the time for that may be passed (for some of us), we are certain that every one of us will be dealing with Enbridge for months to come as they begin construction and, eventually, restoration.
We hope this blog will provide a place for concerned residents to swap stories and share resources in the hopes of keeping Enbridge honest. Or, if nothing else, it can be a place to vent as we all watch large chunks of our property get torn apart.
If you’d like to tell your story, feel free to comment below. Or contact us here if you’d like to post a blog entry.