First contact...

It was the end of July 2014 when I opened my email box and there was a terse, one line email from a gentleman called Jack Scanlan. He introduced himself as representing Dominion, "we are doing a feasibility study in the area. is there a number we can talk?" It was a very unprofessional email. It did not point back to a company website or server, it was from a Hotmail account. A name followed by four digits, "1234" ----- emails like this are usually used by people who roam the internet and are up to no good. I replied, as I usually do, without delay. "I am afraid not... I am out of the country right now and will not be back anytime soon," and on top of it, I have a hearing problem and hate phones. But I let him know we could communicate by email. Mr. Scanlan emailed back, "We are surveying in the area and would like to access your property some time next 2 week;" then two minutes later, he added, "there will be 4 survey crews that will walk across your property."

Bizarre I thought. Who is this guy? He sends me an email, saying that he represents a company that goes by the name of Dominion, and basically tells me nothing but that he wants to go on my property to survey it, and that four crews will be going across it. No explanation of why? What their need to be on the property is? What do you need to survey my property for? So, and because one-liner emails don't really deserve more than one-line replies, I shot him a quick reply, "Can you provide details on what you are doing, what's the survey for, why do you need to access / be on my property, if there will be any impact on the property, etc., etc., etc.?  " Then came his reply, "We are doing a feasibility study to determan [sic] if a pipeline could be installed in the future. All they are going to do is walk across your property to determine if this could be a viable route in the future."

Huh... excuse me? Say again? This guy needs to get down to earth. I need more information. I search the internet. There is no company called Dominion but provides no details at all. I start contacting people in Elkins and asking questions. Does anyone know anything about this company and this pipeline project? Apparently not. I find a company called Dominion Resources but no Jack Scanlan name is associated with it, not that I can find at least, and his hotmail.com email address certainly does not make him credible. The way he contacted me does not help either. But I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. Some people like using their personal email addresses. Or maybe they are not at work and the company server is not accessible outside the company --- unlikely, but possible. I email back again, "I know what a feasibility study is and I know what the purpose of any feasibility study is. "If a pipeline could be installed," meaning what? Crossing my property?... You are not giving me much to work with" I wrote, and since I found a company called Dominion Resources Inc., I ask, "Is this the company you represent/work for?" And I start asking questions, asking for specifics: "What kind of work/pipeline are you talking about, that may be installed in the future as a result of this study? Where will the pipeline be running from ---- where to where? Are we speaking about natural gas here? Where would the pipeline be installed? I am assuming that you are in need of accessing my land (...) because the pipeline, if this goes ahead, may be crossing my land? Is this a new project? Is fracking involved? Etc. Please be more specific." I get another rushed reply, "If it can be built it would cross your property. Dominion pipeline is a sub division of Dominion Resources . I work for Doyle land services who represents Dominion. we are talking about a 42 in gas line that will travel aproxmatley [sic] 600 miles. The pipeline would run from west Virginia to North Carolina. As to were the pipeline would be placed I don't know that is why were are doing the survey. This would be a transportation line."

My next email states clearly what my position is. After thanking Mr. Scanlan for the extra details and that extra bit of information, I state, leaving no room for misunderstandings, that "I am not interested in having any pipelines cross my property, not now, and not in the future, so I don't think it makes much sense to include my land as part of the survey," and  add, "consequently, the feasibility study should look at alternative routes for any such pipeline." I leave the door open, however, to constructive dialogue; I write, "If there are any other details / considerations that you think may be relevant and are not being considered at this time, feel free to let me know."

This is certainly not part of my dream. This is my property and I don't want to see it ruined. At this point, I know very little about pipelines. Never had to give them much of a thought. I start doing some research on the internet. Search words, "pipeline," "Dominion Resources," "gas pipeline." Hits ain't showing me a pretty picture. There seem to be pipelines exploding all over, and regularly. I wouldn't know the difference between some of these pictures and a war zone. A bomb might do less damage. Some images mage me think of napalm. This ain't pretty, and it certainly does not fit my dream!

This is my land. This is West Virginia. Green, rugged, wild and, I believe, clean. Did I do my homework before buying this piece of land? The first acreage I bought towards the end of 2011. Then beginning of 2014, I added to it. Bell Timbering had some acreage contiguous to mine, and I added a few more acres to the original property. It's my land. It's private property and I don't want any pipelines going through it. I continue to search the internet. Does not look good. My land is not going to be gutted and scarred by pipelines.

I get another one-liner from Mr. Scanlan, "Dominion will be sending a letter out to yo [sic] explaining the survey. We still need to access the property for the study. If it can be built that would be the time to appose it."

Dominion can send whatever they want. I don't want pipelines on my property. I start asking myself, is this guy even reading my emails? "We still need to access the property for the study" he writes? "If it can be built that would be the time to oppose it," he writes? No, sir!, the time to oppose it is right now. Not later. Right now, this gets nipped in he bud. I am telling you clearly that I do not want any surveys, no studies and no pipelines. The time to oppose it is right now. When there is abuse and violation of private property rights, or even just a faint scent of smoke, that's the time to get your sleeves rolled up and start looking for the problem. Who waits for the house to be on fire before locating that faulty wiring and make sure the whole thing does not burst into flames?

I email again, repeating myself, "(...) you mentioned clearly that the survey has to do with the construction of a pipeline that will, if built, cross my land. Let me repeat, I am not interested in having any pipelines cross my land, so no permission is granted to access the property and I see no point in granting access to anyone for said purpose; since this is private property, and you contacted me to ask for permission to access the property, I do not understand what you mean by, 'We still need to access the property for the study' because I am making very clear that I want no pipelines there and if [the] viability study has the purpose of finding out if one will be built in which case you said also clearly that it would be across my property, which I do not agree to and will not allow. Please clarify."

What I am emailing this gentleman is falling on deaf ears, clearly, because he sends another one-liner, "We would like to survey across your property with in [sic] the next 2 weeks. Please advise ."

And the cherry on top of the cake, "Here is a copy of the letter sent out by Dominion concerning the feasibility study. I am also including the West Virginia Statute for surveyng [sic] property n the state. Please look it over and get back to me on surveying your property." No such letter is attached. This is definitely someone who does not care much about having a professional attitude. That, when dealing with a matter as sensitive as this, does not win him, Doyle Land or Dominion any medals. Not by my book at least. Attached, however, is a PDF with a scan of West Virginia Code 54.1.3. Entry on lands. It mentions "eminent domain."

Sir, you just crossed the line. Are you threatening me? Bad move!