Public Comment. Volume III - Montana Legislature

Cenex supports the findings and recommendations of the study, as presented
in Chapter 7 of the draft Report. (Cenex)
We agree with the finding and draft recommendation as outlined in the report.
(W ETA)
Montana Petroleum Association believes the Subcommittee's "Findings" and
"Draft Recommendations" iairly represent and balance the evidence presented
to the Subcommittee. (MPA)
The money they pay compared to the money they receive for their services
going through our land is a joke. What price do you put on destruction, land
acres lost in resale value in the future, we still get taxed the same for this out of
our control land, and the mitigation is far from ever complete. (OIDonnell)
There was no recourse or choice of just compensation. It was either take what
we give you now or take nothing. 'The law as it stands now does not give fair
market value for property. They can mandate the price they are going to give
you for your land. We believe there should be a better arbitrary system to
adequately determine valuation. (McKinney)
Landowners must be compensated, and the Legislature must establish a fair
process for calculating the devaluation of a landowner's remaining property
after an easement or right-of-way is taken. Recognizing that it is nearly
impossible to quantify the loss of quality of life as well as other costs (such as
time invested in the process and permanently disrupted agricultural
operations), the compensation paid to the landowner should equal the
calculated devaluation plus a percentage established by the Legislature.
(Northern Plains Resource Council)
Compensation for damages should be readjusted for up to one year after
construction has been completed to ensure landowners just compensation if
damage is greater than originally projected. (Northern Plains Resource Council)
Landowners should have the right to choose amortized annual payments
instead of a one-time payment. (Northern Plains Resource Council)
Landowners must have the same rights as government agencies to seek
compensation for damages such as train-caused fires and pipeline leaks which
occur in the course of a project's operation. (Northern Plains Resource Council)
EQC Eminent Domain Study -47-