Forgotten 70-Year-Old Pipeline May Cause Families To Lose Homes
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IRVING (CBSDFW.COM) - A forgotten 70-year-old underground pipeline is now threatening homes in Irving, impacting the lives of the families who live above it.
Michael Marquez and his family of eight have lived in their home on Newton Circle in Irving for 15 years. Now Explorer Pipeline Company
is telling them their house was illegally built.
"I was very upset for someone to come and saying your home was built without permission," said Marquez, who loves living in his quiet neighborhood.
He said his ideal life ended when a post from Explorer Pipeline Company was placed in front of his home. It said his "house was in EPL's easement without permission."
In an attempt to understand what the document meant, Marquez started studying maps of the neighborhood's development in the 1950s. He found a 1941 agreement that grants an easement for the pipeline.
"I was pretty upset and wanted some answers from the City of Irving soon as possible," said Marquez.
But he said the City of Irving didn't offer any help. They responded to his request by saying, "That's an Atmos question."
But Atmos Energy, which is a natural gas company, has nothing to do with the petroleum pipeline operated by Delaware based Explorer.
"I'm afraid they're going to take my house knock it down," said Marquez.
He and his neighbor are only five feet from the pipeline. They don't have any control over what the company does within 50 feet of it, which could include tearing part of their houses down.
Marquez isn't getting much sympathy from the out of state pipeline company either.
Explorer Pipeline Spokesman, Bill Sanders emailed the following statement to CBS11 News.
"Without seeing his Deed, it is highly likely the easement was mentioned in the title search, and even if it wasn't, the easement was filed of record."
To make things worse, TXDOT has asked Explorer to lower the pipeline when it soon widens nearby Highway 183.
"It's an everyday stress for me every day stress until I get a resolution," said Marquez.
Explorer has offered to let the family stay in the home if they sign this agreement to pay for any damage caused by the pipeline.
The family said that's too big of a risk but don't have the money for a legal fight either.
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