Dealing with change in our corner of the world

[clintmo]

We're feeling under siege here in WV. Simultaneously, we are being mined under AND watching a natural gas pipeline cut across our and our neighbors' property (eminent domain.) We live way out and have been here our whole lives. Our quiet existence has been turned upside down and it's stressful to say the least. I work just up the road from home, at my parents home business. My dog and I walk to work daily, rain or shine, on a path I've worn through the fields and woods and up the hill. A few days a week my girls are with me, the five year old on foot now and my twenty month old on my back. It's the best part of my daily routine. The worst and most cruel part of the pipeline project is that of all places in this world for the engineers to decide this thing had to go, my path had to be part of it. It's as though someone said "hey, let's find some poor sap just trying to live a simple life in his natural habitat. THAT'S where our pipeline should go!"

So far I'm refusing to let them change our happy routine. We've managed to continue our daily walks to work/Grandma's house but I've had to re-route a bit. I took a Cub out today and cut new path along the edges of the right of way.

There are at the moment a couple places where we can cut across as long as it's not too muddy, at least until they dig the actual hole for the pipe. Walking the road is an option but not a very good one with all the truck traffic the construction has brought in. And it takes about twice as long.

When the pipeline project is all done things should return almost to normal. I'll be able to beat a new path where my old one had been. But the dogwood that my daughter and I would rest under partway up the hill is gone, along with the huge walnut tree that marked the back corner of our property and several other trees along the fence line.

So that's my pipeline sob story. At least I worked the Cub in there to make it relevant. We are scheduled to be mined under in a week and a half. Fingers crossed that our house is still in one piece and halfway level when it's over. I've been working on an addition and renovations for the last couple years. I'd hate to have to knock it down and start over.

Thanks for letting me vent a bit. I hate to complain. I know I'm a very lucky man with my little family and my health and all. I just wonder if people in town know how much bullsh*t some of us rural folks put up with for the supposed good of the whole.

[Eugene]

Early 1950s, two natural gas pipe lines were cut across my grandparents farm. It didn't take very long for the pipe line installation and the cut to be returned to "normal".

The pipe lines have been farmed/row cropped over since the installation. You wouldn't know that there were pipelines under the property unless you saw the yellow signs in the fence line marking their location.

My grandparents were offered $25- or free natural gas for ever for permitting the pipe lines to cross the property. Grandparents took the $25-.

[Stanton]

Clint, sorry to read about your double-wammy. There's a natural gas pipeline a few hundred yards behind us; it went thru a conservation area. You're right, once installed and covered, things can get back to a growing state, but they never really look "normal" (if you know what I mean). The missing trees are a great loss; especially the dogwood.

Hope the mining under you doesn't cause any damage.

[SONNY]

We have pipelines across us, too!--The first one went in about 1929 and is not very deep. one went in next to it last year, (WOTTA MESS!!!),----Don't know when the three were put in at our current farm.---Sis has two across her farm, put in the 1929 time period.
Biggest problem is that they will kill all trees within their right-of-way and keep them killed, so it's never the same and they can come in at anytime and dig holes just to check the lines!! (another crock), so your private life no longer exists,--thats what we have to deal with here!
I know what your going thru and it sucks!!!! Keep the ole chin up and hang in there!!------OH, and the mines UNDER you,---are they tunnel, or longwall????---Hope they NOT longwall!!!!! thanks; sonny

[clintmo]

Thanks for listening to my sad tale, guys.

My grandparents were offered $25- or free natural gas for ever for permitting the pipe lines to cross the property. Grandparents took the $25-.

Wow. I think that's how most people in this state lost mineral rights. Offered a small sum for what they saw no value in and, being dirt poor, took the money. I know several people who had free gas and were paid off and that deal was terminated. They don't offer free gas any more.

OH, and the mines UNDER you,---are they tunnel, or longwall????---Hope they NOT longwall!!!!! thanks; sonny

Longwall it is, Sonny, I'm sad to say. And I found out today that they're ahead of schedule and will likely be under us in the next few days. I'm supposed to be headed to the Barnyard Bash, but it feels wrong not being here to observe any damage. They have contractors that make constant visits during and after to check for and repair damages. My folks' place went through all this last fall so I know the drill. The part that stings most about the mining is that we will in all likelihood lose our spring. I can't get over that one. It's not right to me that they can forcibly take a family's fresh, clean, natural, FREE and endless water supply and force them onto overburdened public water. They hooked us up to city water last week. It could be because I've always had spring or well water, but this stuff smells and tastes like a swimming pool.

[SONNY]

Is the mines for coal?----around here they shut all the coal mines down!!---guess out there they are going gangbusters with them!!---THAT sure is double bad news!!---and yes city water looks and tastes like reclaimed sewage !!! ---dont know how else to describe it!
I have heard and saw pix. of the MASSIVE destruction that longwall does to the land above when they do the collapse mode!---NOT a pretty sight!
We are sitting on top of a tunnel that was worked back in the mule days, so that would be in the late 1800's and so far none of the tunnels have collapsed around here, but North and Northwest of here guys have fell in with their big equipment and that gets kinda scary not knowing WHEN your going down!!! Kinda like ice-road truckin'!!!---its not IF your going down, but WHEN your going down!!!
Don't have any civil suggestions to offer up, but I do know your pain and it's not fair to anyone involved in these types of MASS DESTRUCTION!!!! thanks; sonny

[clintmo]

Coal mine is past us now and movement is ongoing. Got some pretty bad cracks in the foundation. The front porch is leaning a good bit, it’s gonna have to come down. It’s block and reinforced concrete and we don’t need that falling unexpectedly. It was gonna get replaced anyway. I’m feeling like the house is definitely out of level. Just waiting and hoping it settles back. The spring is still flowing strong for now.