Energy East pipeline project has landowners worried about rights

Some private landowners want to know their rights when it comes to TransCanadaPipelines and its Energy East pipeline project that will bring oil from Alberta to the Saint John refinery.

TransCanada has already dispatched agents to negotiate survey agreements leaving some residents wondering what to do next.

Elizabeth Marshall calls herself a legal researcher with expertise in property rights and had strong words Monday on the subject of the pipeline.

I just still see in this province, we are controlled, by major industry, she said. That's because, that's because you have the mindset. You've got to get together and you've got to back people who are going to stand up for your rights.

On Monday, the Council of Canadians released a video aimed at countering what it calls TransCanada's one-sided sales pitch.

Veronica Totton Graham says she owns 600 acres and the pipeline is due to bisect it.

I was looking for some information that would make me feel I had the right to say no, she said. Or if we didn't want to, say no, at least I have rights to protect our farm.

Plan B is to negotiate

She says Plan B is to learn to negotiate with the company's land agents who have already come through, offering a thousand dollars for permission to survey.

According to Totton Graham,more than 50 per cent have already signed.

Woodlot owner David Clark is not one of them. He refused to take the money.

At first I thought it was a big money issue, he said. Like, I'm going to be impacted so I might as well get as much money as I can. But talking to Dave Core, there's a lot more issues.

Dave Core, is another proponent of bargaining together. His non-profit association will help negotiate a contract for the price of six per cent of the settlement.

The more landowners we have, the more we'll be able to negotiate, he said.

TransCanada is expected to file its regulatory application in the coming days.

One of the issues the National Energy Board has identified for review is how the project will affect landowners and their land use.