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Notifications & Negotiation

Land Agent Visits

If the pipeline, or any portion of the permanent or temporary right of way is located on your property, a Spectra Energy Land Agent will personally meet with you to discuss the project and listen to your concerns.

Spectra Energy will maintain contact with landowners throughout the entire construction and restoration phases of the project.

Landowner Negotiations

In order to acquire the property rights needed for the pipeline, Spectra Energy will begin good faith negotiations with landowners. During these negotiations, landowners will share their concerns with their Land Agent. Spectra Energy works with landowners and will make every reasonable effort to accommodate pipeline-related requests specific to their property.

Spectra Energy respects the confidentiality of all landowner discussions and agreements related to these negotiations.

Compensation for Easements

In order to make a good faith offer, Spectra Energy retains an independent real estate appraiser with professional qualifications to estimate the fair market value of land as determined by recent sales in the immediate vicinity of the property. Based upon the appraiser’s market evaluation as well as other factors, Spectra Energy determines the fair market value to be used for negotiations.

Our intention is to also compensate landowners fairly for any damages incurred as a result of pipeline construction activities. Where disruption may be anticipated in advance and fair market value may be readily determined, we will negotiate for payments that are fair and reasonable. For example, payments for crop losses will be based on local market rates for the particular product. Where individual damage situations are unique, the Land Agent will negotiate specific compensation.

Following good faith negotiations, if an agreement for the easement cannot be reached, the Federal Natural Gas Act provides that an interstate pipeline company, such as Spectra Energy, may obtain the necessary easement rights by eminent domain. Eminent domain is the governmental authority issued to pipeline companies that have been authorized by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to acquire necessary property interests based on the public need for the proposed facility.

Spectra Energy begins each and every easement negotiation with the expectation that a mutual agreement can be reached with the landowner and that we will not need to exercise our eminent domain rights.

Please be assured that Spectra Energy does not and will not use eminent domain as a negotiating tool. We will exercise that right only as a means of last resort. In the event that we cannot reach an agreement with you and must obtain the easement interests through eminent domain, the court ultimately will determine the appropriate compensation in a valuation proceeding. At that time you have the right to present to the court reasons for the compensation you believe is appropriate.