As Enbridge crude oil pipeline project moves forward, family prepares for loss of their yard

The pipeline is Line 79, a project planned by Enbridge Pipelines Toledo Inc. as an expansion of the company’s crude oil delivery to the Detroit refinery of Marathon Petroleum Corporation LLC and Toledo's BP-Husky Refinery.

At this time both refineries share the flow of crude oil flowing through Line 17, which currently has been running at capacity because of increased demands from both businesses. Line 17 diverts oil from Enbridge’s interstate Line 6B towards Detroit and Toledo.

Line 6B is the line that spilled more than 800,000 gallons of heavy crude oil into Talmadge Creek and the Kalamazoo River in 2010.

The new Line 79 will run parallel to Enbridge’s existing Line 17, which is routed from the Stockbridge junction of Line 6B in Ingham County to a junction in Freedom Township in Washtenaw County.

Much of the Bradley’s backyard is in the middle of an easement owned by ITCTransmission which has transmission towers in the area directly behind the Bradley’s house.

The easement is fairly large, and when the Bradley’s bought the house near the intersection of Farnsworth and Boyce roads six years ago, they never imagined the property they lease from ITC also would be in demand by Enbridge.

However, the easement currently contains Line 17. Enbridge had several different plans for where to place the new Line 79 in the area near the Bradley’s home, but Ztaise Bradley said they were only notified that their backyard would be leveled in the process Nov. 16.

Jason Manshum, spokesman for Enbridge, said the company has been working with easement and right-of-way issues since this fall.

Not only will the Bradley’s likely be losing their yard, their water well head is about 10 linear feet away from the new crude oil pipeline — something both Brendan and Ztaise Bradley worry will become a problem over time as the pipe ages.

With the $190 million addition of Line 79, the amount of crude oil flowing through Washtenaw County will nearly double: Line 17 has a capacity of 90,000 barrels per day, and Line 79 will have a capacity of 80,000 barrels per day.

The new pipe will be 20 inches in diameter, with walls three to four-tenths of an inch thick, depending on where it will be used. Enbridge previously has stated the thicker pipe will be used at road and railroad crossings, where the pipe will be enclosed in a protective casing.

Line 79 will be constructed in a similar fashion to Line 17, which is about 10 years old and buried about four to five feet underground. The lines will be about 25 feet apart from one another.

The Michigan Public Service Commission approved a settlement agreement allowing the project to move forward May 24, and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality approved permits Nov. 15 for Enbridge to build the pipeline through several wetland areas — including the wetland in the easement behind the Bradley’s house.

For that area, Ztaise Bradley said Enbridge plans to horizontally drill a path for the pipeline underneath the wetland instead of digging a trench through the area. When she asked the company to extend the horizontal drill underneath her back yard so it would not have to be leveled for the project, Ztaise Bradley said she was met with a negative response.

"I lease this land, too," Ztaise Bradley said. "Why is their project more important than my project?"

Frustrated by the apparent lack of flexibility on the part of the company to consider other options than razing their back yard, the Bradley's don't know when crews will be appearing behind their home with heavy equipment to clear trees and dig a trench for the pipe. Enbridge will pay the family for damages incurred with the loss of the stand of mature trees on the property -- but to the Bradley's, that won't make up for the shelter the trees provided from a large open field and the view of the power lines.

"My biggest request right now is to have someone who makes a decision come out and stand on my deck and look at my back yard," Ztaise Bradley said.

Manshum was not familiar with the Bradley's property or issues with the project, but said the company's policy was to work on a case-by-case basis to solve problems.

“We’re making sure we’re being a good neighbor and working with them,” Manshum said. “Each landowner has their own agent with Enbridge. That’s why we take our time to work diligently with each individual landowner.”

Enbridge’s impending work is evident down the street from the Bradley home on Farnsworth Road, where signs have been placed this week indicating a service road that will be built for the project.

As early as Friday, Manshum said construction crews could begin clearing trees and brush from the path of the new pipeline, and could begin marking existing utility lines in its path. Manshum did not know the exact location where work would begin.

Excavation work to install the trench for the new pipe would not begin until Monday at the earliest, Manshum said, explaining the exact start date for construction was currently unknown.

Pipeline construction will continue throughout the winter, with a project completion date in March, Manshum said.