Arrogance or Desperation? Bluegrass Pipeline Company Accused of Illegal Survey

Are they so sure their nepotistic connection to the governor guarantees them their project? Or are they getting desperate as opposition grows and landowners refuse them permission to survey?

Ryan Quinn at the State Journal:

Kentucky State University officials say agents working on the natural gas liquids pipeline proposed to cross Franklin County surveyed the KSU Research and Demonstration farm without contacting them.

KSU President Mary Sias said Friday “there has been no official, or unofficial communication with the pipeline representatives,” regarding the 205-acre farm on Mills Lane in southern Franklin County.

Kirk Pomper, an associate research director who works on the farm, told a meeting of about 50 concerned landowners Thursday in Lawrenceburg that he was “pretty upset” the survey stakes “just appeared one day” on the property.

“We all of a sudden found survey stakes in our farm on some of our very important research points,” Pomper said.

He said the stakes go from the entrance through a vineyard and the pawpaw research orchards.

Information on the Bluegrass Pipeline website says the company is typically seeking 50-foot easements to run the pipe through. Temporary construction easements would generally be 100 feet wide.

“I don’t know why they felt they could just survey our properties,” Pomper said. He suggested it might be because KSU is chartered by the state.

The company is denying it. 

One of the companies involved with constructing a natural gas liquids pipeline says agents had permission to survey the Kentucky State University Research and Demonstration Farm despite KSU officials saying they were never contacted.

Williams — the agency working with Boardwalk Pipeline Partners to create the pipeline proposed to cross Franklin and other Kentucky counties — released a statement Saturday stating the company contacted the university before surveying its land.

Williams officials did not say who from KSU granted permission for the farm to be surveyed.

“Our land representatives in early June contacted officials at Kentucky State University and received permission to survey, according to our records,” the statement read. “Survey work was conducted, and we were not aware there were any issues regarding permission to survey until reading about it Friday in The State Journal.”

Unless they have KSU President Mary Sias' signature on a survey permission form, Williams does not have permission.

And you, Dear Reader, can help solve this mystery! Be at the Paul Sawyier Public Library in Frankfort at 5 p.m. this Wednesday, August 7 when Williams Co. representatives will hold an "Open House." Tell them to show their signed permission from KSU or shut the fuck up.