Tip #1: Know Your EASEMENTS
We’ve had several people ask about how THEY can be better equipped as property owners to attempt to avoid our situation. We are sharing our journey to get truth out and with a prayer that our fellow property owners will learn - with less pain than us - how to acquire, retain, and ENJOY our property for the long haul.
This is so simple but has proven to be complicated. BEFORE a company shows up in your area ready to become your “neighbor”, make sure you have and know your easements and right-of-ways (ROW).
When Trailblazer’s FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) project was announced, many Trailblazer pipeline owners either didn’t know about it at all, or they couldn’t find their easements/ROWs. This led them to being unsure of what rights they possessed and the extent to which they could fight the repurposing of the pipeline to transporting carbon dioxide from the original purpose of transporting natural gas.
Where to find your easements:
Your county recorders office (Logan County Colorado go HERE)
Hire a Title Company if needed
Lawyers will often hire a Landman who is used to looking at these documents
It’d also suggest knowing what is around you. What easements do your neighbors possess? You could have something lurking near you that you can’t see. You also could find that the neighbor signed an agreement years prior to a project being revealed that gave their permission to steal your peace, safety, health, enjoyment and usability of your land.
Keep these important documents with the rest of your important items for your spouse and kids (like wills, trusts, deeds, etc.). Check out the NokBox if you don’t already have a system.
Future tips will be found right here and on our Facebook page: https://www.humefarmstead.com/tips-info
