What Are Typical Pipeline Construction Issues for the Landowner
In this video, Attorney Philip Hundl visits a pipeline construction site to show you some of the issues that can come up during construction. These issues should be covered in a negotiated easement agreement.
Summary of the Pipeline Construction Issues Video
– Hi, I’m Philip Hundl, I’m an attorney with Wadler, Perches, Hundl & Kerlick. And my practice area primarily focuses on the representation of landowners in condemnation cases. These are cases in which the landowners are facing property condemnation, due to a future pipeline being run through their property. So the pipeline company is seeking a pipeline easement.
Similar issues come up for a future power line project. In those cases, the power line company or energy company is seeking an easement for a power line.
Damaged Board Roads Leave Debris for Sod Farm Owners
This pipeline construction issues video has clips that were shot at a pipeline construction site. There are some video clips of a board road, and how these board roads work. The problem with board roads is the debris that’s left behind.
The board roads are essentially railroad ties that are screwed together to make planks, Tracked vehicles like trenchers will run up and down these wooden roads during the construction process. Since the tracks are steel, the traffic causes damage to the wood planks, the wood road. The damage results in wood splinters that are often times left behind, left on the landowner’s property.
And this can be an issue, specially with turf grass farms and sod farms. The debris will be left behind in the grass and it will be caught up in the next roll or pallet of sod harvested from that land, if not removed.
Splinters from Board Roads Cause Problems with Other Land Uses
With row crop land and pasture land, the splinters can be a danger to cattle grazing on the property. If the property is a hayfield, these splintered wood roads can be a big problem with baling hay.
These board roads can cause problems with drainage. We’ve recently had heavy rains and rain over many many months here in Texas. Board roads as well as just a general pipeline construction can cause problems with drainage. So drainage during construction is one of the pipeline construction issues that landowners need to be aware of when negotiating easements with pipeline companies.
Experienced Legal Representation Avoids Pipeline Construction Issues
As I’ve said before on many other videos, I strongly recommend landowners seek legal representation from attorneys that are experienced with condemnation matters. If you don’t negotiate for your protection before you sign the easement agreement, it will be very difficult or impossible to fix theses pipeline construction issues during and after construction.
If you’re a landowner facing property condemnation, Attorney Philip Hundl can meet with you at any of our four offices in Southeast Texas — Richmond and Fulshear in Fort Bend County or Wharton and El Campo in Wharton County. He can also arrange to meet you on your property or other location convenient to you.
Call 800-266-4870 for an appointment or you can click this link to send us information for a free case evaluation.
Call 800-266-4870 or text 979-320-9320 for an appointment. We can also arrange for online and telephone appointments all over Texas.