TransCanada: their product's not the only thing that's filthy about them
Cross-posted at Climate Crossroads
Canada may be stereotypically associated with politeness and friendliness, but one of its major oil companies is bullying and intimidating American property owners. Canadian oil giant TransCanada has told landowners along the path of the proposed Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline that if they don’t sign over their land by the end of the month, TransCanada will take it by force through eminent domain proceedings.
A letter sent to a Nebraska landowner by TransCanada executive Tim Irons and obtained by the National Wildlife Federation states that the company “is constructing and will operate a 1,833 mile crude oil pipeline, which […] will cross a portion of your property.” The letter continues, asserting, “In the event we cannot reach an agreement, Keystone will use eminent domain to acquire the easement.” (emphasis added)
Such threatening language is an attempt to intimidate and silence the many landowners who have voiced safety concerns about the Keystone XL pipeline. Nebraska landowners in particular fear that a spill would contaminate the shallow Ogallala Aquifer which provides a third of the water for the nation’s crops. TransCanada is trying to trick politicians into believing the pipeline is safe, and knows that these landowners can’t be fooled. Spills from pipelines are common and harm the land and the people who depend on it. Last month’s Enbridge oil pipeline spill of more than 800,000 gallons into the Kalamazoo River in Michigan is the latest of more than 2,500 significant pipeline incidents that have occurred in United States over the last decade, which have resulted in 161 fatalities and 576 injuries.
Such behavior on the part of TransCanada is not just an atrocious example of a foreign company attempting to turn profits at the expense of the American people. It’s also stunning evidence of the contempt and disrespect the company is showing to the U.S. government. TransCanada’s letter declares that its risky pipeline will be built—but conveniently leaves out the fact that Keystone XL has not yet received a permit for the construction of the pipeline. In fact, growing concerns about the project from Congress, the EPA, and the American people are making this approval less likely by the day. Perhaps that’s why the company’s resorting to desperate, underhanded tactics.
TransCanada should stop trying to bully landowners. The State Department can protect Americans by denying TransCanada’s permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.
TransCanada’s behavior immediately reminds me of similar tactics being employed by energy companies in the Pacific Northwest, which are trying build liquefied natural gas pipelines through Oregon farmland. The companies in question have threatened farmers with the prospect of having their land taken through eminent domain. Yet a remarkable grassroots movement has risen up in opposition to the pipelines; pipeline projects are now years behind schedule, and not a single farming family yet has been booted off their land through eminent domain. The fight in Oregon is far from over, but tangible victory is within site. I’d urge landowners threatened by TransCanada not to give in: giant pipeline projects can be defeated through concerted grassroots opposition, and these companies can be sent packing!
Great to hear that good news from Oregon! Landowners are tough as nails, and incredibly formidable opponents. My grandma and her neighbors fought and defeated a natural gas pipeline that would’ve run through their farms in NW Ohio. I hope all of these companies learn the hard way not to mess with farmers.
See our post for the most current updates in Nebraska including links to a copy of the XL letter to the farmers.
http://freehelpinghands.wordpress.com/2010/09/26/oil-pipeline-news/
and
http://sierranebraska.org/?page_id=929