When you reach out to express concerns to your local, state and even federal officials you may hear the same initial response we got, “There is nothing we can do”. Technically, this is true, but only from a legal standpoint. Utility companies like Duke Energy have been given the blanket privilege of “Emminent Domain”, which basically means they can do anything they want with your property and the property of your local municipality, as long as it is for “the greater good”. Speaking with a representative from the Ohio Power Siting Board, there is only one project that he can ever recall not qualifying as being for “the greater good”.
Do not let them get away with this response. We have spoken with many local and state government officials who have been more than willing to intervene on our behalf. They can certainly express objections about the pipeline to the Ohio Power Siting Board, as State Representative Jonathan Dever has on our behalf. They can also connect you with other citizens being impacted by the pipeline, leverage their communication tools to educate and inform the public, work with other municipalities to create a united front, and solicit feedback from other cities who have gone through or are going through this process to see what they have learned.