Cash offers skyrocket as much as seven-fold for landowners resisting Keystone

[Newsjock]

Source: Canadian Press

Cash offers have been skyrocketing, as much as seven-fold, for holdout Nebraska landowners who are willing to sign quickly to allow the Keystone XL pipeline onto their property.

The landowners say they’ve received written offers from pipeline builder TransCanada Corp. in the last few weeks offering exponentially more money than initially promised, on the condition that they sign soon.

Those offers are pouring in at a pivotal moment for the Canada-U.S. pipeline, whose proponents hope to start building this year.

One family says it was initially guaranteed $8,900 (U.S.) in 2012 to allow the pipeline through its farm. Now, according to an offer sheet dated Jan. 13, 2014, the figure has surged to $61,977.84. But, just like that old marketing slogan says, the offer’s good for a limited time only. Included in the price tag is a $27,000 signing bonus that shrinks the longer they wait — after 30 days it falls to $18,000, then after 45 days it disappears entirely.


Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-news/energy-and-resources/cash-offers-skyrocket-as-much-as-700-per-cent-for-landowners-resisting-keystone/article16504943/

[alsame]

1. They should all watch the

movie "Promised Land".

[djean111]

2. If (when) the pipeline is approved, I wonder if they can just lose their land to eminent domain,

like that woman in Texas.

[AngryAmish]

4. They can get an easement via eminent domain

Iirc, this pipeline will be buried.

My advice, hold out and make them litigate.

[last1standing]

3. Might as well take it.

The states will confiscate the land under the Eminent Domain Doctrine if the deal goes through. When that happens, those who held back will only get fair market value.

I definitely support their goal, but there is no chance they can stop this deal by refusing to sell. Our only chance is by putting massive pressure on congress and the president. That means withholding your vote for any politician who votes in favor of Keystone XL.

[oldandhappy]

5. Must be extremely hard to say 'no'

I have a lot of respect for the landowners resisting the pipeline. I am grateful for their courage.

[Sunlei]

6. That pipeline will be there for many years. even 60k doesn't seem enough to lose your land forever.

plus the rest of your property will forever have a 'major pipeline' as a neighborhood blight.