Anti-Pipeline Resolution Passes!

Our little township is taking a stand against a giant.

Construction of the massive Nexus pipeline is planned for 2015. This high pressure pipeline will ship fracked Utica and Marcellus shale gas out of the country. Its route goes through Ohio and Michigan, then into Ontario, Canada. The major corporate player in this venture is Spectra Energy, a company with an appalling safety record. Why should you care? Here are just a few reasons.

• The blast radius (causing injury or death) from a pipeline explosion can be 800 feet or more. Check this map of our local area (bottom of the page) to see how close you are to danger.
• Property values surrounding fracking operations and pipelines go down.
• Accidents related to fracking operations and pipelines aren’t covered by your homeowner’s insurance, which considers this an industrial operation.
• Although seizure of your property by eminent domain was once legally limited to projects for public use (for example, schools), now your land can be taken by the oil and gas industry for their own profit.

Our little community passed Resolution 27-14, opposing construction of this and any other high pressure gas transmission pipelines. This may seem like a largely symbolic act, but New York’s highest court recently upheld the right of towns to ban fracking within their borders. We hope the rights to local rule are also returned to us in Ohio, restoring the ability of local citizens to apply private property rights and zoning laws to oil and gas industry usage. (A right we still don’t have in 38 states.)

Here’s more information you need to know:

~Maps of northeast Ohio areas where construction of the Nexus pipeline is planned for 2015, here. 

~Lots of information about fracking here: Will Fracking Affect My Family?

~Full text of anti-pipeline resolution below. 

Litchfield township, Ohio

Resolution 27-14

Resolution Opposing Construction of the Proposed Nexus and other International High Pressure Natural Gas Transmission Pipelines

WHEREAS, Spectra Energy Corporation, Enbridge Inc., and DTE Energy propose to construct a new 42″ High Pressure Natural Gas Transmission Pipeline, known as the “Nexus” Pipeline, running through Litchfield Township, Medina County, Ohio to transmit natural gas from the Ohio Utica and Marcellus shale gas formations to service customers primarily in Canada.

WHEREAS, other similar High Pressure Natural Gas Transmission Pipelines (Pipelines) proposed to transmit Ohio natural gas through Ohio may be constructed to pass through Litchfield Township, Ohio in the future.

WHEREAS, such Pipelines pose a serious threat to the general welfare of the Township residents because of the inherent risks of leaks and ruptures which can result in explosion, fire, environmental contamination, property damage, personal injury, and death.

WHEREAS, such Pipelines require additional property tax revenue to pay for emergency medical and fire training, equipment and personnel required for evacuations and for emergency response in the event of explosion, fires, or other accidents.

WHEREAS, such Pipelines will not benefit Township residents with much needed natural gas supplies and will merely transfer natural gas through the Township without providing any utilitarian public benefit.

WHEREAS, such Pipelines diminish the desire to reside near the vicinity of the Pipeline route which results in the inability to sell real property or in lower property values and subsequent loss of fees and property tax revenue.

NOW THEREFOR BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Litchfield Township Trustees, Ohio, deems that the location of High Pressure Natural Gas Transmission Pipelines within Litchfield Township are against the interests of the public health, safety, morals, comfort, and general welfare of said Township and its residents and stands against the construction of the proposed “Nexus” pipeline or any other such Pipelines proposed in the future.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this Resolution be filed as comment before the appropriate officials of Medina County, Ohio House of REpresentatives, United States Congress, the Federal Energy REgulatory Commission, DTE Energy, Enbridge, Inc., and Spectra Energy Corporation.

(date adopted, 11/24/14)