PIPE LINE ROUTES? AND BATS?

Anyone have any info on future Pipe line routes in Guernsey county? And What about these bats we have  that prevent us from cutting trees on ROWs from the end of March til Oct. ? What difference is there in cutting for timber and ROWs? I've had timber cut on my place before without worrying about disturbing any bats..... Is this real?    

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Permalink Reply by Bob on March 6, 2014 at 6:22am

Yes Lance, Sorry to say but the EPA says the Indiana brown bat is endangered and that by cutting down trees from April until Oct. will harm the bat.  We are in this situation right now in Monroe county.  Im told that if you as a property owner want to have your property clear cut you can without worrying about the bat thing.  Also you can read up on line about the Indiana brown bat and I think you'll find out like I did that its all just political.  They haven't even done a new study on the population of the brown bat for years. I just don't understand how a gas and oil company or pipeline company can be told they only have four month to cut trees and still get everything done they need to do. Doesn't make sense !!!

Permalink Reply by Philip Brutz on March 6, 2014 at 6:33am
Permalink Reply by mary ellen on March 6, 2014 at 6:39am

We would have a pretty good lobby group here if someone wanted to start a petition against this restriction in our area.  For starters,timber should be allowed to be cut, if , after inspection, it shows it is not inhabited by bats. 

Permalink Reply by lance on March 6, 2014 at 10:53am

SIGN ME UP MARY ELLEN!

Permalink Reply by Appalachian on March 6, 2014 at 9:44am

It's real.  There was a study done on my property when the REXX line came through.  Guessing that you can still cut timber because it is not federally regulated like the pipeline ROWs are (interstate).  That is only a stab in the dark...but a real possibility.  I support the efforts to protect the bats.  Certain species are dying off rather quickly.  I know, I know....phooey on bats, right?  Well, get used to a whole lot more insects as these little flying rats eats tons (literally) every night including disease spreading mosquitos.  I'M not a bat-fan, but I am definetly not a fan of insects...with the exception of Honey bees.

A bobcat den will re-route a ROW completely in these parts.

Permalink Reply by Olive Sue on March 6, 2014 at 10:11am

Bats really are beneficial but this is like everything else the preservation of them becomes unreasonable.  I suppose to have a study would cost millions of dollars and we still would not know the facts.  The asinine thing is that as said above, privately hundreds of acres are clear cut without an issue. 

 

Permalink Reply by lance on March 6, 2014 at 10:57am

Yeah, see that's the problem... What's good for the goose should be good for the Gander, right... It would be OK to cut down trees for a solar power field or wind field but not a gas and oil pipeline? That's simply not right......

Permalink Reply by Tim Tarr on March 6, 2014 at 12:02pm

Williams seemed to have a solution. Went in and cut trees and brush during winter and left it there until just prior to pipeline installation. Was a little ugly for 6 months though. Of course that takes planning which some pipeline companies seem to be a bit weak on. Also may have to do with payment for ROW at start of construction. That's not a small consideration for 6-9 months of  no return on those payments.

I am a fan of Bats and frogs always chase them out of Basement (bats not frogs) rather than killing them. Anything that eats some of these damn bugs is a friend of mine.

I'll add I go out my way to not kill them snakes too. Have almost as many mice as bugs. LOL

Permalink Reply by lance on March 6, 2014 at 12:48pm

Me too, I'd never kill a snake unless it was poisonous, or a bat or frog... I love anything that will eat a mosquita..... 

Permalink Reply by catt on March 6, 2014 at 3:16pm

I understand the bat issue also, we must protect them if they are endangered...but most of these ROW are several feet across... not clear cut. Can't a bat move over a few feet if it needs a tree and also I thought it is only certain trees they are nesting in. Is this true, that they are only nesting in certain kinds of trees?

Permalink Reply by Appalachian on March 7, 2014 at 2:42am

AFAIK they like the shagbark hickory.  They roost under the loose bark.  I suppose it's possible they also inhabit cavities in other types of trees, but I'm certain the hickories are favored.

Not sure of the exact implications of cutting a tree with roosting bats.  Do they not wake up and fly away instead dying when the tree hits the ground?  Is it a case of an established roosting tree that the bats return to year over year ie loss of habitat?  Are there baby bats unable to fly away roosting in the trees during summer months?  I can only speculate.

I feel it's good to have these measures in place.  Unfortunately, these issues end up getting twisted around and used for political reasons all too often.  We forget as humans that we are guests of the flora & fauna that surround us.  

Permalink Reply by Philip Brutz on March 6, 2014 at 3:32pm

I don't believe that that compliance with this EPA regulation is slowing down the pipeline infrastructure.  MarkWest had no problem cutting down the trees during the winter months on the gathering line that they installed across my property.  

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