Appointed!

[Horse]

Lorne Taylor's Water for Life initiative was supposed to address issues of water allocation etc., but industry is on the move and that is who has the clout in AB these days.

[northfarmer]

Cowman, might I suggest you and others interested in surface rights issues, visit this site if you have not already.

Interesting group of farmers have launched several class action lawsuits against pipeline companies specifically.

They are looking for support from farmers across the country.

http://pipeline-landowners.com/

[cowman]

Thank you for that site, northfarmer. I note that Ontario farmers are fairly advanced in dealing with this problem, while Alberta has no pipeline group!
The neighbor asked me once if I thought it was a problem running a liquid manure wagon over the two ethane lines crossing his property? I told him I think you have to get permission from the pipeline company and if he damaged the pipeline he could be liable! Of course he was indignant that he should have to ask! I told him if those babies rupture he won't have to worry about it...at 3600 psi it is unlikely they'll find the operator, tractor, or manure tank!

[cowman]

better the darn tank ruptures in his field than on a public roadway and the contents get dumped into a creek !!!

[northfarmer]

I would suggest that a little pig shit in a creek is better than some farmer, or his kid, getting blown to bits on a pipeline rupture. Then, insult to injury, having the farmer pick up the tab for the mess and the loss of business on the pipeline.

We have old underground pipelines in our area that is starting to rupture. These lines carry produced water (contaminated water) for reinjection. The environmental impact is far greater than a little pig shit in the creek.

[Horse]

Northfarmer that link dont seem to work for me is there a problem with it or me.

[Horse]

In one area of the province there was a breech of a liquid manure storage which dumped millions of litres of hog manure into an irrigation canal where people obtained their drinking water.
I would suggest that had a very major enviromental impact and likely posed health risks as well. In fact northfarmer I don't know where in the north you are located but numerous municipalities in the north are adamantly opposed to large operations spreading manure by any method other than injection and also ensuring that there is no application on frozen or snow covered grown to protect dug outs that are used for human water supply.

[cakadu]

Cowman, I'm kind of curious to know how working with these companies and then sitting at the table with them to liaise wouldn't put you into some sort of conflict of interest.

While you might not be a tree hugger, the environmental impact and the ecological footprint as a result of all this drilling activity should be a relatively high priority. Without a stable environment, there can be no economic growth.

More and more we are having to balance the environmental with social and economic factors. Each can stand on their own, but to have prosperity into the future all three must be taken into consideration.

[cowman]

The point of this whole thing is more to do with running a grid pipeline system, weed control and reducing friction between the gas companies and the landowners. It is not about any social or environmental stuff? The whole purpose here is "How do we get that well drilled?"...with the least amount of hassle!
Obviously the Alberta government is focussed on getting the most economic benifit for the tax payers of this province? Have they ever done anything that would make you question that?
Am I in a conflict? Good question. The only concern I got about a conflict was that one of the companies involved in this was being brought to court by me! And that was solved earlier out of court, so I guess no conflict there? Now without a doubt in every business it is who you know that makes the world go around, but in reality I already know most of the people who will be sitting at the table.

[northfarmer]

Horse, no idea why it sould not work, site may be down for maintanence.

Emerald, big difference between breached lagoon draiing into creek and honey wagon going kaboom.

There are many parts in the north, unlike central Alberta or some other area heavily inhabited by non farmer types, that the nearest neighbors are miles away and there are more gas plants, compressors, and pump jacks then people or farmyards in the rural areas.

There are many proposed project for ILO's in some areas, and it only makes sense to place these things as far from people as possible. That said injection seems to be the strategy for the manure and that is fine by me.

The increased non agric traffic and road damage, noise, stink, pipeline access from oil and gas development are all issues of greater importance to me than the ILO issue.

Having a large sour gas facility parked on the edge of our farm is no different, or possibly worse, than a hog barn. Difference is that I would have more luck using political interference to block a hog barn than the sour gas plant. If the hog farmer really wanted to build, or needed land to spread manure on, he might even buy me out. The energy company, on the other hand, could proceed as they please.