There is a great deal wrong with ANY company using Eminent Domain for purposes that don't directly benefit the people of North Dakota!

Our initiative would keep future Keystone pipelines away from the watersheds of North Dakota lakes and aquifers that provide water to our cities. A leak on one of these pipelines could put water-soluble toxins such as arsenic and mercury into the city water, and the Keystone pipeline parallels the Sheyenne River - source of water for Fargo - for about 80 miles.

We are getting signatures on our petition and need over 13,000 signatures by August 8. Please contact us through www.saveoursoil.net, and order petitions through the "Petition" page of our website. Thanks! Reply...

What I don't get is how a Canadian company can use Eminent Domain against US CITIZENS? What is wrong with this picture??? Reply...

A barrel is 42 gallons not 420. Reply...

The best way to change the pipeline's route is through an initiative (a ballot measure) prohibiting an oil pipeline from being built within a specified distance of a body of water that provides water to a city. The Keystone pipeline could pollute Lake Ashtabula and the Sheyenne River, which provide water to the City of Fargo.

I am a veteran of many initiative campaigns and was employed by the Initiative and Referendum Institute in Washington, DC, for years before the Institute was turned over to USC. I can draft a measure and produce a petition, although it would be better done by a lawyer.

One thing is certain: if an initiative is to be done, it must be started immediately. I am in touch only with my brother and cousin who oppose the proposed route and would like to be contacted by others who share this interest.

The first step for an initiative is to form a sponsoring committee of 25 people. Are there 25 people out there who would sign the affidavit to become sponsors? You can contact me through Richard Starke of Burlington. Reply...

Do the North Dakota county commissioners who support the TransCanada-Keystone Pipeline because of the "considerable tax revenues" they expect to get, have a firm number as to the amount? TransCanada is the managing partner for the Northern Border Pipeline which runs thru ND and SD. Check it out. The taxes left at the county level is not that great, barely enough to cover road damages during construction. In SD the tax on the oil line will be centrally assessed. The Supt. of schools at Britton, SD told the local paper there the school district will get very little. Most will stay at the state capital. The Mayor of Fargo has every right to be concerned. According to information filed by DNV a risk management consultant for TransCanada, 53% of the oil leaks will be caused by "pin hole" leaks too small to be noticed by the computer monitoring system and at 1,700 psi a 1.5% volume leak could dump over 370,000 gallons of oil PER DAY into a lake or aquifer contamination the water supply. What will the county commissioners do then? Drink oil or have water hauled in from some place? Reply...

If TransCanada can't afford to build the pipeline right they have no business building it at all. Reply...

What right does a Canadian company have to steal our land? They have no right - if it was a US company in Canada we couldn't even own the land because of Canadian laws. Boot them out - use a US company - treat land owners fairly. Get rid of them!!!! Reply...

Once again the people that complain about the high prices of gas and diesel have a chance to help the situation out alittle by letting crude oil to come into the US by way of the pipeline. They fight and argue that they dont want the pipeline on there (land) but yet they are ones complaining the loudest about the prices. Maybe if we get the pipeline in operation the might be refineries to follow to help ease the shortage situation! Reply...

What pork project has Conrad awarded Dept of Transportion money to? There are LEGITIMATE needs for his time servicing ALL the citizens. I have an idea but want an official reply from the Senator. Reply...

TransCanada's own report, "A Spill Frequency Volume Study" states that a spill between 50-100 barrels, (42,000 gallons) may occur anywhere along the TransCanada Keystone pipeline once in 12 years; as spill between 1,000-10,000 barrels (420,000 gallons) once in 39 years, ans a spill of more than 10,000 barrels might occur once in 50 years. (Keystone Pipeline Risk Assesment pg.3-2).
These figures and this report were filed with the Department of State in TansCanada's application for the Presidential Permit. Now TransCanada's spokesmen are trying to discount their own Study.
HmmI wonder in what year the pipeline is going to leak? Reply...

Who is telling the truth? The website reports 576spills in six years while the company "environmental advisor" claims that a spill will occur just once in NINE THOUSAND YEARS!! Is the company being hinest? NOT in my book!! Reply...

I legally posted my land three miles east of Valley City and the surveyors ignored them. I had the Barnes county Sheriff evict them and they TRESPASSED AGAIN. Project manager Grey apolpgized anf offered to pay damages. They want a 1000 foot wide strip RIGhT through my quarter that would occupy 60 acres at a cost of $600,000 to me. I intend to sell 20 acre lots for houses but the pipeline will prohibit that on 60 acres. Grey said that they would not go around my land. The original path was five miles east of mine along the Oriska road. Let's Organize. The DRC will get involved and I have made a large contribution to hire a lawyer firm. Reply...

We have formed the "Seward Citizens on Pipeline Route Committee." We are holding a forum July 16 7:00 pm "TransCanada and Your Community Pipeline Safety Fourm" at the Seward Civic Center in Seward Nebraksa. Presenters are DEQ representative Hugh Strirts, Pipeline Safety Trust Exectuive Director Carl Wiemer, Department of Transportation Office of Pipeline Safety representative Karen Butler, and University of Nebraska Water and Agriculture Law Dept. of Economics J. David Aiken. You are invited to attend. This is the second Forum we are holding because TransCanada is not responding to our proposal of an alternate route Eest of the City of Seward to avoid the City of Seward water treatment plant, the city well fields, the Ogalla Aquifer (which is not present to the east), foodplains and wetlands. TransCanada says the extra two miles of pipline necessary for the alternate route costs too much money, and that the pipeline is perfectly safe located within 1/2 mile of the water treatment plant.
Regarding easements and right-of-ways-Goggle "The Landowners Guide to Easements and Right of Ways Goodlife Publishers." Also check out the Owners Counsel of America at www.ownerscounsel.com. The OCA is committed to further advance, preserve, and defend the rights of property owners, large and small. TransCanada was not allowed to present at our first forum "TransCanada Pipline and Our Community" and even wrote the presidents of the two local civic organizations that sponsored the forum complaining that they were not invited to present, challenging the integerity of those organizations. Well, when TansCanada first came to Seward they first met privately with City and County officials, and then following the private meetings had a " tea and cookies open house" for the Landowners and public. TransCanada has had plenty of time to hold public forums and has failed to do so, and TransCanada contiues to meet with city and county officials. TransCanada Easement Agreement with the landowners allows for "one or more pipeline." Might as well organize the landowners, hire one lawyer, and go for condemnation. Reply...

the attached photo of a sign near Britton, SD tells how people feel in that area. IF it has to be built then put it in the I-29 road ditch which is a straight shot south to the new refinery that will be built at Elk Point, SD. Use the road ditch instead of mess up thousands of acres of productive farm land. When it leaks the Public Service Commission in ND and the Public Utili ties Commission in SD can help the Govern and the state cleanup the 200,000 gallon oil spills like BP had recently at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Reply...

I am from SD. We just had a hearing yesterday to get TransCanada to release their confidential status on their filing with the PUC. No one can understand why they have to be so secretive. Now almost all of it will be open to the public by next week with the exceptions of something affected by certain other governmental groups. We have formed a group, Dakotans Concerned with the TransCanada Pipeline, who opposes this line. TransCanada's tactics toward the landowners have been terribleharassment, threats of eminent domain(which they do not have) and bullying about getting easements signed without the landowner's attorney looking over the easement. We feel the easements are not to the best interest of the landowner and that no one should sign them until they do reflect the best for everyone. Why are they allowed to buy easements before they have the states approval? Is it in the best interest of our country to refine an oil that causes three times more greenhouse gases than regular oil? Is it in the best interest of our country to give another country the right of eminent domain over our tax paying citizens? At what cost to the local farmer do we let others walk over them? Remember, who will be next? What we set a precedent for now can haunt us in the future. Reply...

Why is North Dakota's Public Service Commission holding hearings about the proposed pipeline when TransCanada hasn't even received the Presidential Permit to build the pipeline and the Canadian Natonal Energy Board is holding hearings for approval of the Keystone Project itself beginning in June? There is severe oppositon to the Keystone Pipeline Project as it is being challenged by The Communications, Energy, and Paperworkers Union in Canada and the Union is challenging TransCanada Keystone Pipeline Project in the hearings to be held by the Canadian National Energy Board. The Department of State has yet to hold a second round of Scoping meetings as part of the Presidential Permit Process. Reply...

Have you received the "Draft" of the Keystone meeting held in October '06 yet?I would like your comments on it and if you can sen me your e-mail so I can submit it to you.
JKR1803b@aol.com Reply...