Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN) last week lent his support to apipeline-sponsored proposal that would require pipelines seeking toseize private property for projects to notify affected landownersby certified mail at the outset of FERC proceedings, giving them anopportunity to participate more fully in the process.

Specifically, the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America(INGAA) initiative would require pipelines to inform landownersalong the right-of-way of a project one day after an applicationhas been filed at the Commission, and to forward to them a FERCbrochure outlining the eminent domain process and the rights oflandowners to participate in FERC proceedings. The INGAA proposalis nearly a mirror image of legislation Thompson, an ardent criticof the existing landowner-notification process, sponsored earlierthis year.

In his Sept. 28th letter to the Commission, Thompson suggestedone clarification to the pipeline proposal. “…I believe it wouldbe helpful to specify in the proposed rulemaking what informationmust be included in the notice that gas companies are required tosend to landowners,” Thompson wrote to Chairman James Hoecker.FERC plans to hold a technical conference in December to addressits landowner notification policy, which some believe could lead toa notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) or other action on theissue.

INGAA, the senator said, has indicated that it would have “noproblem” with the clarification.

Thompson proposed his bill after 50 landowners of Marion County,TN, complained they were taken by surprise when United StatesGypsum Corp. sought and received from FERC the right to seizeinterests in their property to build a small gas pipeline throughthe county to serve a new plant to be sited in Bridgeport, AL.

Susan Parker

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