Tag: byhalia-pipeline

Categories
News The Fly-By

MEMernet: Neverending Elvis, a Forum Flight, and Drake on the Pipeline

CREDIT: Sam's Club

Neverending Elvis

Sam’s Club

A big-box retailer emailed Memphis journalists last week to say they’ll carry a “GIANT 20 Foot Pink Limo Pool Float” at their stores this year. “Perfect for riding off into the sunset this summer in true Elvis style,” says the company. All yours for $199.98.

Forum Flight

Posted to YouTube by Stadium Landings

YouTuber Stadium Landings landed on top of the FedEx Forum last week using Microsoft Flight Simulator. The yellow plane’s flight begins north of the city, following the Mississippi River, past the Pyramid, to and through Downtown. The plane circles the Forum and successfully lands on top. Just goes to show, there’s something for everyone on the internet.

Drake Weighs In

Posted to Reddit by u/goldchainnightmare

“I still hear their jingle in my head,” wrote Reddit user goldchannightmare.

Categories
News News Blog

Bills Filed in State Legislature in Response to Byhalia Pipeline

CREDIT: Tennessee General Assembly

Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research (CAESER), University of Memphis

Two bills have been filed in the Tennessee General Assembly in response to the Byhalia Connection pipeline project on water protection and eminent domain.

Both bills were filed by state Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis). One, she said, will protect the health of the Memphis Sand Aquifer. The bill will “empower local leaders to conserve the underground water supply by requiring more comprehensive environmental studies prior to approving large utility projects. It would also enhance monitoring for the health of the aquifer and water usage,” Akbari said.

As it is written now, the bill would require a report to government leaders from a person who withdraws 10,000 or more gallons of water per day in an emergency situation.

“No matter where you live, we want our families to have clean drinking water and, right now, Memphis has one of the best public water supplies in the nation thanks to the Memphis Sand Aquifer,” Akbari said in a statement. “But even though this is one of the most valuable natural resources on the planet, there are almost no ironclad protections that ensure that the aquifer will be healthy for generations to come.”

Akbari filed another bill that would “reform the eminent domain laws that private corporations sometimes utilize to acquire private property.”

Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research (CAESER), University of Memphis

As that bill now reads, it would require “property taken by eminent domain be valued at 130 percent of the fair market value and require compensation for depreciation of property on which an easement is taken by eminent domain.”

“Homeowners don’t have the resources to fight a court battle with a giant company so the law should give small property owners stronger legal footing to protect their investments,” Akbari said.

Akbari said she will also urge the Biden Adminstration to reform the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ permit process used by Byhalia Connection for the pipeline. A statement from Tennessee Senate Democrats Friday said while the company followed all laws and got the right permits, ”some families still think the process has unfolded too fast and that an unforeseen event could cause crude oil to seep into the aquifer and taint Memphis’ supply of fresh drinking water.”

Categories
News News Blog

Council Pushes Pipeline Votes

Protect Our Aquifer

The proposed route of the Byhalia Connection Pipeline.

A Memphis City Council committee pushed votes regarding the Byhalia Connection pipeline project Tuesday pending a meeting with the council and its attorney on the matter.

The council public works committee agenda included two items related to the pipeline. One was a resolution — a non-binding, joint opinion on the matter — opposing the project. The other was an ordinance — a law with teeth — that would ban certain types of development, like pipelines, in new groundwater protection districts.

Neither received a vote from the council committee Tuesday. That move came after the council’s attorney, Allan Wade, suggested a halt to further movement until he had a chance to meet with council members and attorneys from Memphis Light, Gas, and Water (MLGW) behind closed doors, away from the public eye.

Wade told council members that the city’s authority to move on the act were “constrained by federal and state law.” He said he’s heard from those opposing the pipeline and what they ask is “quite frankly out of what authority we have.”

Memphis City Hall

This justification to slow the vote came first from council member and public works chairman J.B. Smiley. He began the discussion Tuesday by noting that “we have heard the voices of the people” but that “our board has limitations.” He said much of the power over the pipeline rests with the federal government and the council “has no power to tell the federal government what to do.”

Wade also asked the council to consider pending litigation between the pipeline company and property owners. Those owners are attempting to stop the company from taking their land through eminent domain in Shelby County Chancery Court. Wade said passing a resolution against the project would be fine. However, passing a new law during the ongoing lawsuit could prejudice the condemnation proceedings.

Council member Edmund Ford, one of the resolution’s co-sponsors, hinted at a raft of concerns he had with the project, many of which he vaguely described at the beginning of the meeting as having emerged “in the last 24 hours.”  City of Memphis

Edmund Ford

Here’s what he said:

“There’s a lot of different issues with this Byhalia Pipeline. In the last 24 hours, I’ve found out a lot of different things that were not very good. Attorney Wade, I need to you to look into all these different things.

“Promises have been made on one side and, then, they’re telling stories that [Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland’s Administration] is doing things on another side. I’ve talked with the administration and everything and they don’t know what’s going on.
[pullquote-1-center] “I’ve talked with Deidre Malone [who is handling public relations in Memphis for the pipeline company]. She’s kind of pissed off at me and I really don’t care. It’s because the people in my district, hey, it concerns them. I’m not invested in somebody just trying to look good or make something from this.

“There’s a lot of issues. Dr. [council member Jeff] Warren, I appreciate you and Mr. [Memphis Citizens Against the Pipeline organizer Justin] Pearson and all of the rest. But these are issues that are coming up and these are legal issues now.

“I’ve been talking with attorney Wade and I need to bring him into some of these things that have come up within 24 hours, okay? After he gets through, we need to postpone (the day’s vote) until next week if we can.”

Presentations on the pipeline project were slated from the Southern Environmental Law Center and others. However, those presentations were pushed on time constraints made by a lengthy debate earlier in the day on whether or not the city should allow the retail sale of dogs and cats.