Private property rights, LNG and HR 3058 as resurrected as LC 85 in emergency session

Last year the Yamhill County Democrats passed a resolution opposing the LNG pipeline through Yamhill County.

Later we opposed HB 3058, based on that existing resolution, saying to our representatives that we believed the bill,

"inappropriately gives businesses the ability to begin permit applications for actions on third party private property for which they have no legal right or access. We should keep first things first: after they have obtained rights for property then they can apply for permits in connection with those rights."

HB 3058 is apparently being resurrected in the emergency legislative session as LC 85.

Continuing in the letter to our legislators, we said, "Approving this bill would give developers just one more means to advance a priori their claim because they would then turn around and say, 'hey, we've already invested heavily in costly permitting, etc.'

Approving this bill would also make property owner and citizen involvement even more difficult and expensive.  It would force property owners and citizens to engage in difficult multi-jurisdiction, multiple-property permit tracking, evaluation and public input on potentially a great many permits even though the actions being permitted are not yet even allowed!  

This bill would unnecessarily tilt the playing field in favor of corporations against the reasonable presumption of property owners to be free of interference and costs in owning and maintaining their property.

We believe HB 3058 would be an unnecessary impingement and potential cost to private property owners prior to a determination that there is a compelling public need and should not be passed."