by Jeffrey Insko | Nov 2, 2012 |
As we reported earlier this week, on Monday, the Brandon Township Board of Trustees passed a resolution to take whatever legal steps necessary to require Enbridge to seek local consent from municipalities before commencing construction. At that time, they left open the question of what specific action they would take.
Last night in closed session, the board discussed this matter. When they emerged, they unanimously approved a motion to intervene in the POLAR lawsuit. As we noted before, this action (we think) will effectively resolve the issue of standing that was the concern of Judge Cleland at last month’s hearing. Hopefully, that will mean that the substantive issues at stake– most importantly the issue of the force of the state constitution and the Highway Act– to finally be heard.
Congratulations once again to Supervisor Kathy Thurman for her unflinching leadership and to the other board members for their spine. This is extremely heartening news!
by Jeffrey Insko | Oct 29, 2012 |
We just returned from the Brandon Township board of trustees meeting where the smart, principled, courageous trustees passed a resolution stating that they would take whatever legal steps necessary to require Enbridge to seek local consent as required by the Michigan Constitution and the state HIghway Act. With this resolution, they not only join the MTA in support of the POLAR lawsuit, they go a step further in resolving to take legal action to enforce the law. This is precisely the sort of bold position we’ve been waiting for some government entity to take; it effectively solves the “standing” conundrum we have previously discussed.
Brandon Township has once again taken remarkable and inspirational action on behalf of their township and, in our estimation, on behalf of the citizens of the state of Michigan. As we’ve said before: this is what leadership looks like.
We’ll have more details on this action and the next steps as they become available and as time allows. In the meantime, for tonight at least, we’re actually feeling hopeful.
by Jeffrey Insko | Oct 24, 2012 |
This week in the Brandon Citizen, Susan Bromley (our favorite small-town reporter) has a q & a with Enbridge’s Jason Manshum. The interview focuses primarily on the status of construction in Brandon Township, which has evidently ceased for the time being as the parties attempt to resolve the question of Enbridge’s compliance with Brandon’s Woodlands ordinance. (more…)
by Jeffrey Insko | Sep 24, 2012 |
Take a look at the progress that’s been made by the persistent folks at Bold Nebraska on the Keystone XL matter. The situation there, you’ll see, is extraordinarily similar to ours– from the lethargy of elected officials right down to basic questions about High Consequence Areas! But they’re getting results. They’ve moved their governor and their own Public Service Commission to take notice. This is exactly why we keep urging everyone to contact our state officials, from the governor to your local congresspersons. Can you imagine Michiganders writing Michigan’s rules?
by Jeffrey Insko | Sep 24, 2012 |
Regular readers of this blog know that our concerns about the way Enbridge conducts its business are many and varied. But if we had to state our objections to the Line 6B project in just one sentence, it would be this:
Enbridge has run roughshod over the citizens of the state of Michigan and our state elected officials have stood by idly and allowed it to happen.
Obviously, there’s much to elaborate upon here– and that’s what we’ve been trying to do for the past three months or so. But that sentence, we think, more or less sums it all up. What makes it all worse, of course, is that Enbridge has behaved this way and our elected officials have let them behave this way in the wake of Marshall. We continue to find it truly astonishing after such a terrible betrayal of the public trust as the Marshall spill– which, we repeat yet again, the NTSB has shown was NOT just an accident–that Enbridge would not do everything possible to earn back that trust and that our elected officials would not be firm and vigilant in making sure that Enbridge act responsibly. Yet Enbridge has had its way. Enbridge has been allowed to have its way.
Which brings us to our most recent example: Brandon Township’s Woodlands Preservation ordinance. (more…)
by Jeffrey Insko | Sep 17, 2012 |
Last week, we posted our account of the “workshop” meeting between Enbridge representatives and the Brandon Township Board of Trustees. Much of what we touched upon in the post deserves further scrutiny and elaboration and we hope to devote more time and space to those things in the coming days– starting right now. But first, let me just reiterate what may be the most important fact we took away from that meeting:
With its Northern Gateway project in Canada, Enbridge has solicited local input prior to construction and they have responded to public concern by, among other things, pledging to exceed Canadian federal regulatory safety and design standards. With its Line 6B project in Michigan– the home of Marshall!– Enbridge has not done the same. (more…)
by Jeffrey Insko | Sep 14, 2012 |
My favorite moment at last night’s Brandon Township workshop with Enbridge: Beth Duman’s impassioned speech about how Enbridge is solely responsible for sparking citizen resistance. If they’d treated landowners decently and respectfully from the start– and used their financial resources for fair compensation rather than lawyer’s fees– a lot of us wouldn’t be spending way too much of our free time worrying and speaking out. Thanks, Beth!
by Jeffrey Insko | Sep 14, 2012 |
We’re still not done with Larry Springer’s astonishing statement in Wednesday’s Inside Climate News article. We hope to return to that series later today. We’re taking a break from it to report on last night’s very interesting meeting between Enbridge representatives and the Brandon Township Board of Trustees. It was a fascinating and illuminating three hours. There’s an awful lot to get through here. Hang on to your hats; this one’s a doozy. (more…)
by Jeffrey Insko | Sep 12, 2012 |
It appears that things are heating up in Brandon Township. Enbridge has begun construction activity in what looks to us like a deliberate attempt to thumb its nose at the Brandon resolution. In response, Brandon has asked Enbridge to cease those activities.
The Brandon board has scheduled a workshop-style meeting with Enbridge’s Project Manager. The meeting is tomorrow, Thursday (Sept. 13), at 6:30 pm at the Brandon Townshp offices. The public is welcome to attend.
by Jeffrey Insko | Aug 30, 2012 |
We’ve been getting reports that Enbridge plans to begin construction work in Brandon Township as early as next week. If anyone who lives in Brandon can confirm this for us, please do (just leave a comment or send me a message backchannel).
Why is this so important? Well, you will recall that Brandon Township recently passed a resolution requiring Enbridge to comply with certain conditions before beginning any construction work within the township limits (the full text of the resolution has been filed with the MPSC and can be seen here). The Township needs support to enforce its resolution. Please take some time to contact local media and, more importantly, state elected officials. Urge them to step forward and support local authority and autonomy.
26th District State Senator David Robertson can be reached at:
Phone: (517) 373-1636
Toll Free: (866) 305-2126
Email: SenDRobertson@senate.michigan.gov
District 46 State Representative Brad Jacobsen can be reached at:
Phone: 517-373-1798
Toll Free: (855) 737-2723 [855 REPBRAD]
Email: BradJacobsen@house.mi.gov
