The fight over a proposed pipeline route in Medina will be a test of the system

Medina landowners are concerned that NEXUS Gas Transmission, a project of Texas-based Spectra Energy Corp., may bury a three- to five-foot-diameter pipeline across their properties despite their opposition.

This pipeline would carry natural gas from a processing center in Kensington, Ohio, through an interconnector pipeline in Michigan, to Canada.

Landowners are upset and bewildered. They know property ownership comes with rights, like the ability to choose how property is used.  But those rights are limited.  You can’t use property to create a nuisance or violate zoning regulations. And you might not decide its use at all. 

The Constitution prohibits the taking of private property, for public use, without just compensation. This means that property can be taken, for public use, if the landowner is paid fairly.

That’s what could happen in Medina, where residents received letters from Spectra Energy’s right of way project manager indicating that the company is exploring a pipeline route that would cross, or pass near, their properties. Some residents received follow-up letters requesting access to survey their properties.

Full story here.

If you think you may be affected by the NEXUS Project and/or are interested in a free consultation, contact our eminent domain landowner attorneys at 1-888-318-3761 or visit us on the web at www.landownerattorneys.com.