by Jeffrey Insko | Sep 25, 2012 |
Enbridge– in the form of spokesman Joe Martucci; we don’t know about any others– will be at tomorrow morning’s Livingston County commissioners’ meeting. Time will be set aside for public remarks. We won’t be able to attend, but we urge anyone who can to do so– and to speak. Tell your story and ask questions. Or, if you aren’t sure what to say, our archives are jam-packed with information and unanswered questions. Feel free to use whatever you find here! Based on our experience, we’d have low expectations for anything helpful or productive coming out of the meeting, but it is vitally important to let your local officials know that their citizens have not been dealt with openly and honestly and fairly by Enbridge– because you can be sure that Enbridge is telling them you have been!
The meeting begins at 7:30 am. Public remarks will open at 8 am. It will be held at the Livingston County Administrative Building, 304 E. Grand River Ave., Howell, MI.
Oh, and if anyone cares to send me a report afterwards, I’d love to see it. You can reach me here.
by Jeffrey Insko | Sep 25, 2012 |
Rebecca Williams of Michigan Radio’s Environment Report has a story today about condemnation hearings in Livingston County. Read or listen here.
by Jeffrey Insko | Sep 18, 2012 |
Does anyone know of any Enbridge construction activities currently taking place in Oakland County? If so, could you please drop a comment and let us know? Thank you.
Much more tomorrow!
by Jeffrey Insko | Sep 17, 2012 |
We interrupt our ordinary programming for one brief expression of gratitude:
While we understand all too well that most of the time (way too much time), brainpower, researching, hand-wringing, worrying, hair-tearing, phone-calling, letter-writing, and psychic and emotional energy we’ve spent on all of this will bear very little fruit (in the short term), we have gained a great deal of compensation from all of the wonderful, decent, generous people we have met (and you mostly know who you are): neighbors we didn’t know before; fellow landowners– rich ones and not-so-rich ones, young and energetic ones and older-but-just-as-energetic ones; farmers, attorneys, activists, environmentalists, engineers, journalists, civic leaders, and people who would prefer just to be left alone. We may feel slightly impoverished by our dealings with Enbridge, but we’ve been enriched by our dealings with our fellow citizens.
by Jeffrey Insko | Sep 15, 2012 |
The Brandon paper The Citizen continues to follow the story. What would we do without them? The money quote is from Katy Bodenmiller, talking about our state elected officials:
“They just don’t want to talk about it. But in the light of the Marshall spill, [U.S. Congressman Mike] Rogers and other lawmakers should be asking tough questions of Enbridge. The silence of the people that should represent me and my neighbors is an endorsement of the way Enbridge does business in Michigan,” she said.
by Jeffrey Insko | Sep 14, 2012 |
A very important note to landowners: all of us should have agreed to a “line list” of items regarding construction on our property (including such things as how to stack or dispose of timber, the installation of temporary fencing, easement access, work hours, and any number of other conditions). We are getting word (these are reliable reports!) that Enbridge construction crews are disregarding these lists. Please be aware and be vigilant. Contact your ROW agent and insist that he or she convey your line list information to all construction crews– repeatedly. If crews violate any of the requirements on your list, let someone know– your ROW agent, us, the press, a lawyer (or all of the above).
by Jeffrey Insko | Sep 12, 2012 |
Coming tomorrow: Our U.S. Congressman Representative Mike Rogers finally replies to us (sort of), a few words for the Executive Director of the Michigan Public Service Commission, and much more on Enbridge’s openness and honesty in their dealings with stakeholders.
Please stop by again.
by Jeffrey Insko | Sep 12, 2012 |
As we noted last week, the Enbridge matter was back on the agenda of the Groveland Township Board of Trustees meeting on Monday night. We attended in the hopes that Groveland would follow the lead of Brandon Township and add its municipal voice to the chorus of those asking tough but reasonable questions of Enbridge. Unfortunately, we left the meeting deeply disappointed. (more…)
by Jeffrey Insko | Sep 12, 2012 |
There is an important and very good article on citizen resistance to 6B by Dave Hasemyer in Inside Climate News this morning. This blog even gets a bit of attention. The most outrageous moment of the article? This little gem from an Enbridge spokesman:
“While there has been recent publicity and activity by special interest groups, most who live and work along the pipeline are not opposed to Enbridge’s plans to replace Line 6B,” he said. “While the media may choose to focus on controversial situations, Enbridge’s actions show that we deal openly and honestly with all stakeholders, including landowners and local governments.”
We’ll have much more to say about the piece later today. Stay tuned.
by Jeffrey Insko | Sep 10, 2012 |
Just a reminder about tonight’s Groveland Township Board of Trustees meeting. We expect the Groveland board to introduce a resolution along the lines of Brandon Township’s. This is a very important action and they need our support, especially since Enbridge appears to be willfully disregarding Brandon and the Michigan constitution. Please attend the meeting if you are able. 7 pm, Groveland Township Office, 4695 Grange Hall Rd.
We hope to see you there!
