GFT Pipe Line-Washington County, FL
Pipeline issue
Nan Thompson of Red Deer Road laid out her case Thursday against the expansion of a major natural gas pipeline through her Washington County property.
“I’m afraid I’ll be forced to give up my land to a private company that stands to make millions,” she told county commissioners.
Thompson’s concern is about a major expansion of natural gas transmission capabilities for Florida Gas Transmission Co. LLC, including running new pipeline, building a new compressor unit and upgrading two other compressor units in Washington County. New pipe would be laid south of company’s current lines, and an abandoned line would be removed.
The Washington County segment is part of a massive expansion project designed to add 568 miles of pipeline in Alabama, Mississippi and Florida with about 439 miles built parallel to existing pipelines.
Thompson and her family own property north and south of the existing pipeline. She first received word the natural gas line would be expanded in a December 2007 letter from Florida Gas, asking for permission to survey her property. Another letter followed in January and an open house in Chipley in April provided few details.
“They were as vague as possible,” Thompson said.
One of Thompson’s major concerns is about the use of eminent domain. Under state law, a project certified under the Federal Natural Gas Act has the right to use eminent domain to procure private property, and Thompson is afraid it would be exercised. The pipeline expansion is not yet federally certified, “and now is the time to act,” Thompson said.
At her request, commissioners approved forming a citizens committee to gather information on the pipeline, keep the public and the board informed, and to fight use of eminent domain.
For information, call Thompson at 638-9357.
http://www.newsherald.com/news/issue_4542___article.html/road_toll.html
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GFT Pipe Line-Washington County, FL
Posted: 5:57 PM Jun 18, 2008
Last Updated: 9:19 PM Jun 18, 2008
Reporter: Bobeth Yates
Email Address: bobeth.yates@wjhg.com
Owning a home is said to be the American dream, but what happens when someone tries to takes that dream from you? Some Washington County residents are gearing up to fight eminent domain.
“At 83 years old and at this stage of my life, I didn’t think I was going to be fighting a land war,” said Elizabeth Thompson.
Thompson, her daughter and granddaughter are taking on the Florida Gas and Transmission Company in hopes of saving their homes.
Property owner Nan Thompson says the company is gearing up to exercise their right of eminent domain to build a 500 mile gas pipeline that will stretch from Texas to south Florida.
“If they take the proposed 100 feet it would cut our property exactly in half. Not only will it take two homes and a well, it will take a permanent 50 feet and then we will have to allow easement for power lines and so on.”
The project is called the Florida Gas Transmission Phase 8. It affects about 12 properties in Washington County.
Officials say compensation payment may come down the line, but Thompson says currently there are no plans in place to pay land owners.
“For a private company to come in and take people’s land without compensations and disrupt lives, I just feel really threatened by it.”
Residents say they shouldn’t have to pay to supply energy to people hundreds of miles away.
“I understand the need for energy, but at what cost? This is a private company coming in who will make billions of dollars from this in the end at the cost of us, the small people who are just losing their land.”
And even after losing their right to their property, residents will still be required to maintain all assessments on the confiscated land.
“I’m livid that they can do this and we are required to pay the taxes on their land, and we can’t do anything with it. We can’t put structure or a tree the only thing we can do is put a cow on it to graze.”
FGT officials say construction will begin in 2010, but currently their plans are not set in stone. They also say they will use eminent domain as a last resort.
Thompson will present the data she’s collected about the project to the Washington County Commission at Thursday’s meeting.