Pipeline meeting draws crowd

By NICOLE HESTER-WILLIAMS

Golden Triangle News Service

Jefferson County residents arrived early at the Iowa Utilities Board informational meeting held at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds today.

The Iowa Utilities Board, along with representatives from Energy Transfer Partners and the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration made presentations, and were on hand to answer questions from around 300 concerned community members.

Iowa Utilities Board Donald Stursma began the meeting with an informational presentation about what the pipeline would mean for Iowa residents. He covered topics such as ETP?s permit process, eminent domain and how damages incurred by the construction of the pipeline to property owners? land would be handled.

Chuck Frey, ETP?s vice president of engineering explained the need and purpose of the Bakken Pipeline, how it could benefit Iowa residents, landowner protections and the project?s timeline.

Frey promised residents that if any damages occurred on their land directly relating to the pipeline, ?We?ll fix it,? he said, adding that residents could contact ETP with questions or concerns by telephone.

?We want to ensure that the public?s concerns are not ignored,? Frey said.

Audience members inquired about the possibility of oil leaks and pollution that the Bakken Pipeline could cause, Energy Transfer

Partners? commitment to providing temporary construction jobs for Iowans, the protocol for eminent domain and whether the 343-mile pipeline ? of which, roughly 15 miles would run through Jefferson County ? is convenient and neces

sary for Iowans.

?Does it [the pipeline] promote pubic convenience and necessity,? Fairfield resident Michael Moore asked. ?Who?s the public? What?s the convenience? And how do you determine the necessity??

?[I] can?t give a check list,? Stursma, manager of safety and engineering responded, adding that it would be the ?public at large,? and the definition of that would be ?up to the board to determine how wide that net is. ?

Stursma reminded audience members that the meeting was only informational in nature, and not the actual public hearing.

?These are questions that will be considered by the Iowa Utilities Board,? he said.

While some audience members voiced concerns about the environment, and questions about how much money the pipeline was bringing in for ETP, and whether property values for Iowans should increase due to the oil company using their land, other audience members said they felt the pipeline might be good for the community.

?I think it could be a good idea,? said Jeremiah Rinehart. ?What can we do to make sure that you will use local workers? What guarantees do we have??

Jefferson County Supervisor Lee Dimmitt said he also felt that the pipeline could be an economic boost for the county.

?My only concern is eminent domain,? Dimmitt said. ?It can be a very slippery slope when you allow a company to exercise eminent domain.?

Moore, who said he?s proud that Iowa is recognized for its use of renewable energy said the meeting was a good idea, although he felt that his questions were not answered.

?I think it was fair because we had an opportunity to ask questions,? Moore said in an interview. ?Although there were representatives that were there that could not answer many of the questions. The representative from Dakota Access couldn?t seem to answer many of the questions that were asked of him.?