Pipeline Promoters Getting Official Pushback

They didn't roll over completely like Franklin County's fiscal court, and they didn't state categorically "not in my county" like Anderson County's judge-executive, but Woodford County's magistrates weren't letting the Bluegrass Pipeline purveyers off the hook.

Karla Ward at the Herald:

The Woodford County Fiscal Court posed tough questions Tuesday night to the representative of a company that wants to build an underground pipeline to transport flammable natural gas liquids through Woodford and a number of other Kentucky counties.

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Each magistrate took a turn at questioning Hunt about safety, how the route is being determined, whether other methods of transporting the liquids are feasible and how the companies will go about acquiring the easements needed to build the pipeline.

Magistrate Ken Reed drew loud applause and cheers from the audience after telling Hunt that he is concerned about possible water pollution and injuries that could occur if the line ever ruptured.

"I don't know how any of us in good conscience could agree that bringing this pipeline through Woodford County is a good idea," Reed said. "It scares me to death."

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 Magistrate Duncan Gardiner asked Hunt what would happen if no one in Woodford County wanted the pipeline.

"My concerns are property owners' rights," Gardiner said. "If a vast majority of property owners were not in favor of this, I'd be very concerned."

Hunt said that Williams Co. works with property owners to come to an agreement about easements, but if that is not possible, it would seek as a "last resort" to acquire the land via eminent domain.

"I'm skeptical of that," said Woodford County Attorney Alan George. "I do not believe as I sit here today that you have that power. To me, that is critical."

George asked Hunt to ask Williams Co.'s legal council to provide him with rationale for asserting that the company has the right to exercise eminent domain in Kentucky.

George said he expects that local county attorneys in the counties affected will discuss that topic at an association meeting next month.

About 75 people attended the fiscal court meeting. There was no opportunity for questions or comments from the public.
 
A public meeting where that opportunity will be available has been scheduled for 6 p.m. Aug. 6 at the Woodford County Courthouse.

Williams Co. has scheduled a series of "open house" events for Aug. 6 at the Williamstown Senior Center in Grant County; Aug. 7 at the Paul Sawyier Public Library in Frankfort; and Aug. 8 at the Pritchard Community Center in Elizabethtown. All three events are from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

After Tuesday night's meeting, about 20 citizens gathered on the steps of the courthouse to discuss the pipeline and how they plan to oppose it.

Corlia Logsdon said she has started a website, Stopbluegrasspipeline.us, "to get some alternative viewpoints out there."

She said she was "pleasantly surprised" by the magistrates' comments.

"They're asking the right questions," she said.

If you think because you don't live in the counties along the pipeline route, think again.  Pipeline leaks - like a recent catastrophic one owned by Williams Co. in Colorado - can go undetected for weeks. In Kentucky's limestone bedrock, contamination can spread dozens of miles in a day.

Go to stopbluegrasspipeline.us - which has dozens of factual reports on NGL pipelines and Williams Co.'s record of leaks and explosions - and sign the petition to Governor Beshear to add NGL pipeline regulation to the agenda for the August 16 special session of the legislature. Read the Herald's excellent editorial here.

Attend the public meetings.  Demand your county magistrates hold a public meeting. Talk to your neighbors. Call your legislators. Write to your local paper. Call the governor at 502-564-9203.

Stop the Bluegrass Pipeline.