LOCATION/TYPE

NEWS HOME

[ exact phrase in "" • results by date ]

[ Google-powered • results by relevance ]


Archive
RSS

Add NWW headlines to your site (click here)

Get weekly updates

WHAT TO DO
when your community is targeted

RSS

RSS feeds and more

Keep Wind Watch online and independent!

Donate via Paypal

Donate via Stripe

Selected Documents

All Documents

Research Links

Alerts

Press Releases

FAQs

Campaign Material

Photos & Graphics

Videos

Allied Groups

Wind Watch is a registered educational charity, founded in 2005.

News Watch Home

Mediation breaks down between Tonbridge, landowners; Company says it's forced to file condemnation actions 

Credit:  Written by Tribune Staff, Great Falls Tribune, www.greatfallstribune.com 16 June 2011 ~~

Tonbridge Power Inc. said Thursday it filed condemnation complaints against 11 landowners along the Montana Alberta Tie line transmission route near Dutton after its efforts to mediate landowner concerns failed.

“Mediation was largely unfruitful,” said Darryl James of Tonbridge. “I think it was discouraging for everybody.”

James Kemp, program manager for the MATL project, who took part in the mediation, said in a news release that Tonbridge officials entered mediation believing a compromise could be negotiated on the majority of the issues.

He said the company was “rebuffed” by the landowners and their attorney, Hertha Lund of Bozeman.

A lawsuit brought by 11 landowners in Teton County District Court against the state of Montana and Tonbridge alleges a law passed by the Legislature to clarify Montana’s eminent domain authority, is unconstitutional.

Pole placement affecting farming operations has been a big concern for landowners.

Procedural rules require MATL to file a counterclaim to the legal action against the new eminent domain law in order to preserve the company’s right to exercise eminent domain if necessary, Kemp said.

Mediation occurred Tuesday before retired Montana Supreme Court Justice William Leaphart, Tonbridge said. Kemp said the goal of mediation was to avoid filing the counterclaim and condemnation actions.

An attempt by Tonbridge to condemn land in Glacier County last year was blocked by a district judge, which set off a debate over eminent-domain powers at the Legislature that resulted in House Bill 198, which clarified who has condemnation powers. That law is now in dispute in the Teton County case.

MATL would run between Great Falls and Lethbridge, Alberta and wind developers have purchased the shopping capacity.

Kemp said the delays in the project are driving up the project costs by the millions and threaten the $400 million Rim Rock wind farm near Sunburst.

See additional details in Friday’s Tribune.

Source:  Written by Tribune Staff, Great Falls Tribune, www.greatfallstribune.com 16 June 2011

This article is the work of the source indicated. Any opinions expressed in it are not necessarily those of National Wind Watch.

The copyright of this article resides with the author or publisher indicated. As part of its noncommercial educational effort to present the environmental, social, scientific, and economic issues of large-scale wind power development to a global audience seeking such information, National Wind Watch endeavors to observe “fair use” as provided for in section 107 of U.S. Copyright Law and similar “fair dealing” provisions of the copyright laws of other nations. Send requests to excerpt, general inquiries, and comments via e-mail.

Wind Watch relies entirely
on User Funding
   Donate via Paypal
(via Paypal)
Donate via Stripe
(via Stripe)

Share:

e-mail X FB LI TG TG Share


News Watch Home

Get the Facts
CONTACT DONATE PRIVACY ABOUT SEARCH
© National Wind Watch, Inc.
Use of copyrighted material adheres to Fair Use.
"Wind Watch" is a registered trademark.

 Follow:

Wind Watch on X Wind Watch on Facebook

Wind Watch on Linked In Wind Watch on Mastodon