How Much $ Should Landowners Get for a Pipeline Right-of-Way?

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How much money should landowners get for the pipelines that cross their property? Should pipeline companies pay for the width of the right-of-way, in addition to the length? Should landowners be compensated more if it’s a bigger pipeline that has to be buried deeper? And, will landowners truly be able to use the land (farmers plowing and planting) if a pipeline is buried under it? These are all really important questions. In West Virginia, a former inspector for the state Dept. of Environmental Protection says landowners should be getting $50 per foot for a pipeline right-of-way. The industry, as represented by the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association, thinks $5 per foot is more like an acceptable number. Excuse us for laughing, but $5 per foot for a pipeline that will be in the ground for the next 30-50 years (or more)? We wouldn’t sign it–and we hope WV landowners don’t either…

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