Topband: Hydrocarbon Pipelines and Beverages

[Victor A. Kean, Jr.]

Topbanders:

A pipeline company seeks a permanent easement to place about 450 feet
of 24 inch ethane pipeline 3 feet underground under my 160 meter
Beverage field.  Since I live in a "free" country, I am not permitted
to decline; I must attempt to negotiate the best possible compensation
to preserve my ability to pursue happiness.

Therefore I am trying to craft words to go into the easement agreement
(via my attorney) that requires the pipeline company to mitigate any
interference to 160 meter (and other) ham radio operation.  There seem
to be two possible sources of interference: 1) electromagnetic
interference (however unlikely), and 2) physical interference, in the
sense that the pipeline is only 3 feet deep and my Beverage post holes
typically go down 4 feet.

For reason 2 I am asking the pipeline company to put their pipeline
more than 4 feet deep.  For reason 1 I want to ask the pipeline
company to remedy any cause of RFI, EMI, impulse noise, buzzing,
static, etc. caused by the construction, operation, maintenance,
commissioning, etc, of the pipeline.  In other words, I seek words
that cover any possible circumstance so that the pipeline company
finds it cheaper to use engineers rather than lawyers to fix their
problem.

Anyone have any experience mixing permanent easements for underground
utilities and ham radio operation?  I intended to ask the ARRL to ask
their lawyer to expand the list of "legal terms" that describe
external interference to ham radio operations.  From the collection of
DXers and contest operators that frequent this forum, I hope someone
can provide anecdotes to help me with my research.

Thanks in advance!

Victor, K1LT