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Cambridge, pipeline company agree on plan to remove some trees on lot near city reservoir in Lincoln so company can install new equipment next door
By adamg on Thu, 06/13/2024 - 12:03pm
Woodman, spare those trees, well, some of them. Map shows trees to be chopped (blue), saved if possible (red) and left alone (yellow).
Cambridge and Algonquin Gas Transmission today filed a plan that will let the pipeline company use part of a quarter-acre city parcel off Rte. 2 in Lincoln to haul in new equipment for a pipeline facility on the company's adjoining lot.
The agreement, filed in US District Court, lets the company cut down up to 40 "canopy" trees on the lot - although it says it will try to save 17 of those - along with shrubs. In exchange, the company will remove any invasive plants, regrade the land and plant new trees and shrubs. And then, for three years, the company or a contractor will water them, prune them if necessary and remove any weeds and replace any trees or shrubs that die.
The company agreed not to cut down another 14 trees on the site.
The agreement will settle a suit Algonquin filed last month demanding it be allowed a temporary easement on the parcel - which Cambridge bought to protect its nearby Hobbs Brook reservoir on the other side of Rte. 2. The company wants to use part of the parcel as access and storage for construction of a new "meter and regulator" station that can help monitor and control gas pressure in the company's pipelines, including those feeding Cambridge itself.
Private companies can't normally demand eminent-domain powers over land they don't own, but pipeline companies are an exception under a federal pipeline law.
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| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
 Details of the agreement | 178.22 KB |
| Filing announcing settlement | 179.37 KB |
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Comments
now to see if lincoln
now to see if lincoln decides to fight this.
as a resident, i can assure you they LOVE to fight about trees being cut down by residents. i can't imagine the town will be thrilled about a utility cutting down trees on property owned by another municipality.
I find it hard to believe
I find it hard to believe that Cambridge caved but times they are a changing.
Now lets see if Algonquin Gas Transmission keeps up with their part of the deal by not over cutting trees and when they complete their usage maintaining the renewal of the site.
sooooo
The power company got everything they want. That’s not some trees being cut. That’s almost all of the trees being cut. if you think they’re going to stop at the blue trees, you’re wrong. They’re gonna cut all of them except the yellow ones.
100% correct.
There is no "try to do the right thing", there's only "maximally exploit what you can get away with" with these people.
Looks like
Algonquin had the (federal) law on its side, so Cambridge cut a deal to get something green in return for not holding up the inevitable. No other reason for Cambridge to yield.
Lincoln Conservation Commission claims “emergency”
According to its Chair, the Town of Lincoln Conservation Commission claims an “emergency” exemption to Open Meeting Law to approve the agreement without 48 hours notice and to make the decision in closed session.
What is or was the emergency?