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W.Va. landowners want fair price from pipeline

WHEELING, W.Va. — From West Virginia’s Doddridge County to the Canadian border, landowners in the $4.4 billion Rover Pipeline’s path remain concerned about the project that would propel 3.25 billion cubic feet of Marcellus and Utica shale natural gas across Ohio and Michigan.

And some landowners in Tyler County are working to inform the public that the pipeline’s path, once approved by federal regulators, will become a reality – through the use of eminent domain, if necessary.

The residents in Tyler County are asking for just one thing: a fair price to utilize their land.

“They are only offering us about one-third of what we believe is fair market value for a right-of-way agreement,” Tyler County landowner David Beveridge said.

Beveridge expects several landowners that would be impacted by the pipeline to convene at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Log Cabin Building at the Tyler County Fairgrounds, south of Middlebourne along W.Va. 18.

“We believe fair market value would be, at least, $1 per foot, per inch of diameter they will put on the property. So, if it is a 36-inch diameter pipeline, that would be $36 per foot,” Beveridge said. “Right now, they are only wanting to give us about one-third of that.”

The comment period for the pipeline passed last month, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is reviewing the Rover Pipeline plans. Estimated costs now reach $4.4 billion, an additional $100 million from the previous $4.3 billion projection.

If FERC approves the project, pipeline developers would have the right to use eminent domain for the easements they need. Landowners could then ask a court to set the price if they have not made deals with the company.

The pipeline’s proposed route includes a 36-inch run from Doddridge County, W.Va., north through Tyler County, under the Ohio River to Monroe County, and north to connect with a 42-inch pipeline running from Noble County, Ohio through northern Monroe County.

This 42-inch line will run from the Clarington area, north through Belmont County.

At this point, a 24-inch pipeline that travels west and under the Ohio River from Marshall County will connect with the 42-inch line in the Jacobsburg area of Belmont County. From there, the 42-inch line heads northwest through the St. Clairsville area and into Harrison County.

The 42-inch line continues north into Carroll County.

At that point, the 42-inch line will collect gas from a 36-inch line running west from northern Washington County, Pa., through Hancock County, under the Ohio River, and across Jefferson and Harrison counties. From that point, the map shows the Rover Pipeline will cut northwest across the Ohio countryside until it reaches the company’s Midwest hub in Defiance, Ohio. From there, the line continues north into Michigan and ultimately into Ontario, Canada.

Accompanying any interstate pipeline will be compressor stations, which can produce air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and formaldehyde. Companies typically place compressor stations every 40-to-100 miles along the line to propel the material along its journey. At the station, the gas is compressed by either a turbine, motor or engine.

In addition to the monetary considerations, Beveridge said landowners are being asked to allow Rover to put anything on the ground for no extra fee.

“They want compressors. They want to use chemical herbicides on our property,” he said. “We just want to know what rights we have and what we can do about this.”

Rover officials hope to begin construction by January 2016, with plans to start moving fuel through the pipeline by the end of that year. Information from Rover states the project will result in 30-40 full-time jobs, $100 million in payments to landowners for the right to place the pipeline on their property, and about $1 billion worth of wages for the contractors building the project via 10,000 temporary construction jobs.

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