Roseburg News Review front page article. Thursday January 18.
http://www.newsrevi ew.info/article/ 20070118/ NEWS/70118021

Canyonville City Council opposes gas pipeline

Councilors want officials to study need, effects of 'Pacific
Connector,' worry about private property

ERIK SKOOG, eskoog@newsreview. info
January 18, 2007

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CANYONVILLE - The Canyonville City Council lent its unanimous voice
Wednesday night against a proposed natural gas pipeline that has
become a contentious issue.

City councilors voted 6-0 approving a resolution introduced by newly
sworn-in Councilor Buddy Kovachy urging local and state
representatives to more thoroughly assess Oregon 's need for the
pipeline.

The resolution will be sent to the county commissioners, Gov. Ted
Kulongoski, Rep. Peter DeFazio and to the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, which would receive the formal pipeline application.

Kovachy cited in his resolution the 100-foot clearance required for
the pipeline, that the areas would be sprayed with herbicide and that
the pipeline crosses 160 miles of private property, acquired through
eminent domain if necessary.

Known as the Pacific Connector, the 36-inch diameter pipeline would
be jointly owned by the Williams Pacific Connector Gas Operator LLC,
Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. and Fort Chicago Energy Partners LP.

It is proposed to extend for 223 miles from Coos Bay to Malin, 20
miles east of Klamath Falls , and would transmit about 1 billion cubic
feet of natural gas per day. Crossing between Winston and Myrtle
Creek, the pipeline would also cross Days Creek nine miles northeast
of Canyonville.

"I was very concerned about some of the potential hazards from this
project, not only the potential to the environment, but to the
private property rights of Oregonians," Kovachy said during the
meeting.

Councilor Louise Barton, who was sworn in to her first full term,
said after the meeting she voted for the resolution against the
pipeline because the pipeline will not serve Oregon interests.

"If this was a benefit to Oregon , I'm fine. But all they're doing is
using Oregon as a shortcut to get to California ," Barton said.

Source Document
To view the Canyonville City Council resolution opposing the Natural
Gas Pipeline, click on the Adobe PDF link in the 'multimedia
features' box above.
Ed Parker, Canyonville' s outgoing mayor and newly sworn-in councilor,
said the potential loss in property value poses a threat to
landowners if the pipeline crosses their property.

"From the city standpoint, if we have a constituent here who owns a
piece of property, and we ask for an easement through his property
... that is an encumbrance on his property from then on out and it
makes his property worth less," Parker said.

Although there are examples of Canyonville gaining easements from
private landowners, the city council has not resorted to eminent
domain, Parker said.

"We would go to the property owner and say, 'we would like to
purchase an easement' or 'we would like you to give us an easement,'
and if it's in the property owner's best interests, he may do that,"
Parker said.

Kovachy said the pipeline does not affect his personal property, but
he wanted all aspects of the pipeline's effect be considered when
plans for it move beyond initial stages.

"I guess I'm concerned about things like this when they have the
potential to affect a person's right to use and enjoy their land as
allowed under the law, and something like this is definitely going to
impact a person's property rights," Kovachy said.

For more information about the pipeline or FERC, go to
http://www.williams .com or www.ferc.gov.

* You can reach reporter Erik Skoog at 957-4202 or by e-mail at
eskoog@newsreview. info.

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