Big oil pretend to being nice and then shows its true colors

[newarkcatholicfan]

The disruptive phone calls came at dinnertime, and were not the usual telemarketing solicitations. The caller identified as a representative from a multinational oil company that wanted to run a 24-inch pipeline through farmland owned by James and Krista Botsford. The caller was not selling anything, but wanted the Botsfords to sell a right of way through their North Dakota land. This pipeline would push 300,000 barrels of oil a day to ports in Superior Wisconsin. The crude oil, pumped straight from the Bakken Oil Fields, could not be sold on the world market until it was processed at refineries on Lake Superior.

 

Every time that James Botsford answered the persistent ringing of the phone, he told the caller in no uncertain terms that he and his wife were not interested. Issue number one, he did not want to participate in a private enterprise that would increase global warming and threaten the lives of his heirs. This was a moral imperative and no amount of persuasion, including money, would make him change his mind.

 

The calls continued, and finally FEDEX packages began to arrive with contracts and offers of money. The honey pot grew, and the amount of money offered escalated from about $25,000 to about $50,000. Still, Botsford's answer was "No."

 

In a final heated and somewhat ugly exchange over the phone, Botsford suggested to the caller in no uncertain terms that the company just go around the property.

 

"They (the caller) said they were Enbridge and they don't go around anything -- they go through it, Botsford says."

 

Farmer Won't Sell Easement So Enbridge Oil Is Suing Georgianne Nienaber

Edited August 9, 2015 by Jumper_Dad

[ggclfan]

The overuse of eminent domain is a BIG problem in this country right now IMO...

[oldgrappler]

I agree, ggclfan. It should never be used so that a private business can get the property to use in its business. They tried to do that here in Cinci. There should always be a compelling reason that the public needs that land for roads, utility purposes, etc. Private property is sacrosanct.

 

I also think that if a property owner is forced to sell because of eminent domain he/she should get way beyond the fair market value of the property as compensation for losing his/her right to choose to sell or not. If the property is so necessary that the public feels it needs to force the sale, then the public should have to pay dearly for it, thus proving that it is a necessary purchase.

 

Now, the farmer may be misinformed about the dire prediction regarding the role of role of fossil fuels in global warming (that is a separate issue), but it is his right to refuse. The oil company should go elsewhere and if they sue, they should be made to cover the man's legal bill in the event judgment favors the property owner.

[woodsrider]

Missed opportunity. I'd have told them $1,000,000 or they can go pound sand.