By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
A meeting informing residents on land easements for the incoming natural gas lines through Crawford County was held Tuesday night in New Washington’s K of C Hall.
Attorneys Michael Braunstein and William Goldman discussed with those in attendance the rights of landowners and renters affected by the Rover Pipeline that will go through a portion of Crawford County and carry natural gas produced from fracking operations under the Utica shale deposits into Canada.
Braunstein explained that they would advise to seek four major sticking points that would need to be in the easement contract with Energy Transfer Partner.
“The owner will need insurance that should be at the company’s expense, not the property owner, and indemnification provision that the company will take care of any costs incurred in case something were to occur with the pipeline that would cause damage off of the property that the pipeline is placed, provisions that the drainage tile be repaired and to drain as well as before the pipeline was installed, and compensation,” Braunstein said to the crowd.
“Compensation from the pipeline should not just cover the area of the pipeline. The company is responsible for the full payment of damages remaining to the property,” Braunstein explained. “Houses close to the pipeline will have their value drop, and people need to be compensated for the full amount that they would potentially lose.”
Braunstein told the crowd that their firm would charge on the contingency fee only to the extent the property owner is paid more than first offered.
“Our fees are 25 percent of what is attained that is above the initial offer,” Braunstein said.
After Braunstein spoke to the crowd, William Goldman shared some thoughts.
“I would like to stress that we are not the only attorneys out there. We are just laying the foundation,” Goldman said. “You need to be represented by an attorney who represents property owners and eminent domain.”
Goldman explained to the crowd that like their representation for property owners through the construction of the Sunoco Pipeline they would represent each property individually.
The ET Rover Pipeline will be a 36-inch to 42-inch diameter pipe. Ohio will have five compressor stations that will operate at 192,000 horsepower.
Construction on the Rover Pipeline is expected to begin in January of 2015 with the pipeline in operation by January of 2017.
For those who have questions regarding the installation of the pipeline, call Goldman and Braunstein at 614-229-4540.