Northampton County is contesting PennEast Pipeline's right to extend its 36" compressed natural gas pipeline through preserved properties in Lower Nazareth and Williams Tp despite a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approval on January 19, 2018. This is part of a 115-mile long pipeline, stretching from Luzerne County to New Jersey. PennEast has filed nearly 200 lawsuits in federal court, seeking to exercise eminent domain over different lands, and Northampton County is now involved in two of these suits.
First Assistant Solicitor Michael Corriere has filed pleadings that argue that the pipeline serves no "public" purpose, a requirement for eminent domain. PennEast is trying to use eminent domain for a private enterprise, not one that benefits the public.
Corriere is also requesting that no action be taken until a request for a rehearing on the pipeline is resolved.
Finally, he is arguing that the pipeline consortium has failed to offer a fair price.
He is seeking a jury trial.
30 comments:
This is nothing, the county has no skin in the game. They are only asking the feds to take it to trial. The county is not taking it to trial themselves. This is a kiss your sister deal. Nothing to see here.
I looked at the lawsuits. You are wrong, as usual. The county is taking it to trial, not asking the feds to do so. Whether the county succeeds is another question, but you don't know what you're talking about to begin with.
Seems like a waste of money. The feds already ruled this is OK. So did the state. Why waste the money??? Is this a feel good move???
"County Councilwoman Tara Zrinski has been protesting against the pipeline since 2014, four years before she was sworn into office. She is hopeful that the federal government will reverse its decision in favor of the pipeline because she believes it is not in the public’s best interest".
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-nws-northampton-county-eastpenn-lawsuit-20180305-story.html
belief not based on facts or other evidence
Liberal nonsense !!!!!
Let the property owners sue. This is a waste of taxpayer money for the benefit of a few. $800 popcorn machines are cushion change compared to this boondoggle. Although, we voted for “change,” right?
Another waste of taxpayers money. The first of many for the new McLure administration and council. Don't follow the path of John Brown or the past council.
Lamont McClure stated when he ran for office that he would do everything he could to preserve open space. He was elected by a fairly substantial number. He works for the people of Northampton County, not FERC or the local GOP. The lawsuits seem to be a reasonable effort to maximize the amount of monEy that will be rewarded for the taking.
Underground is not open space
Stop playing games.You know as well as I that this will cut a scar through 110 miles. This bothers environmentalists very much and does detract from open space. McClure is doing what he said he would do when he ran. And that's the way democracy works. Majority rules. McClure represents the people of NorCo, while you are speaking for a consortium of gas companies. Let them spek for themselves as you are pretty much incompetent.
Energy = Commercial,industrial and manufacturing. Pipe line is the straw you breath from if your underwater . If we don’t manufacture and build industries you can’t face war or create jobs to pay the bills. It’s cyclical, it is for the “Public good”that we can move fuel through a pipe and not use roads to send energy. Look what will happen to the EU. Putin is sending energy from Russia and Europe becomes dependant on it and he will control them better with shutting them down in the winter during one of his confilicts like Crimea - This is a dangerous non option many EU countries have got themselfs into. So beware what you wish for .
McClure is easily distracted.
Big talk from the rented "hoval" in Nazareth huh.....
Mr. O'hare how much do you pay in county taxes? school taxes? etc... not a dime! and you should not have any say...
Great to sit on the wagon while others are pushing it huh?
This is not the county's fight, however righteous it may be. The county is still in the business of picking winners and losers. New administration; same old same old. No wonder people despise government. The only constant is that lawyers feed at the trough, regardless of who's running things. Very disappointing.
Bernie, will you keep track of - and report on - these legal expenditures? This will be quite a bit more expensive than an overpriced popcorn machine. Something tells me we've just heard the long and short of this story. It will fade away, while the bills keep coming.
No I won't. AS I indicated, much of this are soft costs and are hard to relate to a specific matter. Other information would take months to obtain, and still would be incomplete. And it would take an inordinate amount of time. So NO, I have no intention of doing what you ask. You do it.
Solicitor Broughal swings a deal for Bethlehem authority for couple million I believe over the long term deal yet plays the eminent domain game with Bethlehem twp residents who will not get access to any of that natural gas running right near their homes. Something stinks!
Your comment makes no sense at all. I'd suggest you bring it up at a meeting, but cowards like you don't do that.
Is anyone getting access to that gas along the way or simply heading straight overseas?
"that's the way democracy works. Majority rules"
We are a Republic not a Democracy
Majority rules = tyranny
We are a democratic republic that relies heavily on majority rule. You and your buddies in the NorCo GOP can represent the gas companies. Have fun.
Majority doesn't rule. Didn't Hillary Clinton defeat Donald Trump by three million votes?
Look, I am not going to get in a debate with a bunch of sophists who appear to have no interest in the either the environment of our government.
This is a waste of taxpayer money. McClure is allowing himself to be used by a fanatic on county council. Meanwhile, are taxes continue to rise. You know this is true.
I'll bet we never see a post on how much this will cost the county in legal fees.
For the record, does the fanatic on county council who wants to shut this down know how many good union jobs will be lost to her constituents? You labor guys are getting played by extremists.
It will cost the county nothing in legal fees. It is being handled in house. And by the way, fanatics are people who slime others anonymously.
@ 4:36 "For the record, does the fanatic on county council who wants to shut this down know how many good union jobs will be lost to her constituents?"
No!!!!!
http://www.wfmz.com/news/pennsylvania/pennsylvania-shuts-down-sunoco-pipeline-over-sinkholes/712924034
The PennEast Pipeline Project will bring up to 1 billion cubic ft. of daily low-cost Marcellus gas to customers in southeast Pennsylvania and New Jersey. This is a railway to get gas from where they are finding it down into the parts of the states listed above. This line will bring down the costs of Natural gas to customers, residential, commercial and industrial. It's the cheapest fuel out there and will be for a long time. It's also the cleanest. Transporting gas in this fashion is the safest and most economical way. These lines installed will need to be inspected and maintained on a regular basis creating thousands of jobs along the way. This fuel is to be used in our own country and not to be sold to others! The lines that run through our towns and through the countryside are more than you could possibly imagine. There are lines in areas that most don't know are there. Its the way you get your fuel. So bitch all you want, it seems only liberals are the ones who will fight against cheaper fuel prices and creating thousands of jobs along the way.
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