Holy plagiarism, Batman! I ended up with a copy of Grain Belt Express Clean Line's "Code of Conduct" for Right-of-Way Agents and Subcontractors in my email today.
This silly document is nothing but window dressing masquerading as "proof" that Clean Line's land sharks are following some sort of moral compass. This document does nothing to stop land shark abuse of landowners. Who's supposed to enforce it? Nobody! What are the penalties or legal remedies for violation? There aren't any! It's your word against theirs.
This document has an interesting history. Notice how it's written to supposedly prohibit certain behaviors? Does the specificity of certain tactics seem a bit odd to you? That's because each one of these land agent no-nos was a tactic actually perpetrated on landowners in Pennsylvania by land agents for TrAILCo. This "Code of Conduct" came into existence through a court battle fought by the Pennsylvania Office of the Consumer Advocate, who is tasked with representing the interests of consumers, who had been victim to these very same land agent tactics. In its original form, it was enforceable by the Pennsylvania authorities. In its current incarnation, it's not worth the paper it's printed on. It's mere suggestion that is more for the landowner's benefit as an imaginary security blanket than it is a set of rules for Clean Line's land sharks.
The "Code" was re-used by TrAILCo's parent company for their subsequent PATH project. Turned out that the West Virginia PSC wasn't interested in enforcing it, therefore, the document was worthless. PATH land sharks violated it constantly, according to affected landowners.
And now Clean Line has plagiarized this document from PATH, thinking it will fool a whole new crop of rubes in the midwest. Not. It's even complete with the same PATH-created typos... what a bunch of idiots you are, Clean Line!!
So, what's your best defense? Refuse to speak or interact with Clean Line land sharks without the assistance of your attorney and insist that all conversations be recorded. You'll still have to pursue any "violations" through civil court, but I have a feeling the land sharks won't be so willing to star in your own personal video production and will avoid you and your camera or tape recorder like a.... plague of bolt weevils, perhaps?
This silly document is nothing but window dressing masquerading as "proof" that Clean Line's land sharks are following some sort of moral compass. This document does nothing to stop land shark abuse of landowners. Who's supposed to enforce it? Nobody! What are the penalties or legal remedies for violation? There aren't any! It's your word against theirs.
This document has an interesting history. Notice how it's written to supposedly prohibit certain behaviors? Does the specificity of certain tactics seem a bit odd to you? That's because each one of these land agent no-nos was a tactic actually perpetrated on landowners in Pennsylvania by land agents for TrAILCo. This "Code of Conduct" came into existence through a court battle fought by the Pennsylvania Office of the Consumer Advocate, who is tasked with representing the interests of consumers, who had been victim to these very same land agent tactics. In its original form, it was enforceable by the Pennsylvania authorities. In its current incarnation, it's not worth the paper it's printed on. It's mere suggestion that is more for the landowner's benefit as an imaginary security blanket than it is a set of rules for Clean Line's land sharks.
The "Code" was re-used by TrAILCo's parent company for their subsequent PATH project. Turned out that the West Virginia PSC wasn't interested in enforcing it, therefore, the document was worthless. PATH land sharks violated it constantly, according to affected landowners.
And now Clean Line has plagiarized this document from PATH, thinking it will fool a whole new crop of rubes in the midwest. Not. It's even complete with the same PATH-created typos... what a bunch of idiots you are, Clean Line!!
So, what's your best defense? Refuse to speak or interact with Clean Line land sharks without the assistance of your attorney and insist that all conversations be recorded. You'll still have to pursue any "violations" through civil court, but I have a feeling the land sharks won't be so willing to star in your own personal video production and will avoid you and your camera or tape recorder like a.... plague of bolt weevils, perhaps?
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