Fracking company buys trailer park, evicts 32 families

[limpyhobbler]

Last edited Sun Jun 3, 2012, 08:35 PM - Edit history (1)

This is so unfair.

http://www.saveriverdale.com

For Immediate Release: June 2, 2012
Contact: [e-mail]; Alex Lotorto: 570-269-9589, [e-mail]; Deb Eck (Resident): 570-772-3335; Kelly Finan: 570-877-2417, [e-mail]

"Help Us Keep the River in Riverdale": International Day of Solidarity with the Riverdale Community on Monday, June 4

Riverdale residents and supporters are calling for an international day of solidarity action in support of the Riverdale community this Monday, June 4. As relocation resister Deb Eck has put it, you are invited to come down and “help us keep the River in Riverdale.”



Yesterday, residents of the Riverdale Mobile Home Park and supporters set up barricades at the entrance of Riverdale to stop the community from being displaced by Aqua America's plans to construct a fracking water withdrawal facility and send a powerful message to perpetrators of environmental and economic injustice. And so far, it is working. Though Aqua America had announced that it would begin construction on June 1, company representatives were unseen around Riverdale yesterday, and no construction has yet begun.
Now, we need your help.

Residents of the Riverdale Mobile Home Park are going into negotiation with Aqua America PVR[1] on Tuesday. They are demanding the Aqua America PVR allow them to remain in their homes, compensate those residents who have been displaced, and acknowledge the right of return to those who have left but wish to come back. We are calling on you to support Riverdale residents over the next several days and help them hold onto their homes and enter negotiations strong. If you would like to participate in Monday's day of action, this is what we need:

More people. An Aqua America representative stated in today’s newspaper that construction is scheduled to begin soon, possibly on Monday. While about 50 supporters converged on Riverdale yetserday, unfortunately some have had to leave. Our strength is in numbers, and we need you here on Monday to ensure that Riverdale residents can continue to remain in their homes. The encampment is located at 7 Riverdale Lane, Jersey Shore, PA. We can arrange rides to pick up supporters in Danville, Bloomsburg, or Williamsport. Please call [phone] if you need to be picked up, and email [e-mail] if you need or can offer a ride.

If you can’t make it to Riverdale, we are calling for solidarity actions against Aqua America PVR and it stakeholders and financiers across the world, as well as the governors of Pennsylvania...read more: http://www.saveriverdale.com/2012/06/help-us-keep-river-in-riverdale-day-of.html

We demand that representatives from the Obama administration and governors Corbett (PA), O'Malley (MD), and Cuomo (NY) recall Aqua America's water withdrawal permit that they approved in March at the next Susquehanna River Basin Commission meeting in Harrisburg June 7th.

..if you are a resident of New York or Maryland, call your governor ([phone] for Gov. Cuomo, [phone] for Gov. O'Malley) and demand that the permit for Aqua America in Piatt Township, (Jersey Shore) PA be withdrawn at the June 7th Susquehanna River Basin Commission meeting. If your governor is making appearances, please bring your friends and family to their events and offices to ask them if they plan to recall the permit.

...if you are an Obama supporter or campaign worker, call the campaign headquarters [phone], White House [phone], and Democratic National Committee [phone] and remind them that Pennsylvania is a swing state in the November election and that the Obama administration must recall the Aqua America permit in Piatt Township, (Jersey Shore) PA with his vote on the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, June 7th, at their next meeting in Harrisburg.

http://www.saveriverdale.com/p/take-action.html


#SaveRiverdale

[dkf]

1. How does this differ from renters being asked to move when the property gets sold?

Or would they say an owner doesn't have the right to do that also?

[limpyhobbler]

2. So you side with the gas companies?

Yes a gas company has the legal right to evict trailer park people.

That's what all the cries for help are about.

Can you imagine if the state of PA came into a neighborhood of 32 millionaire mansions and ordered them out to make way for drilling?

It's inconceivable.

These gas companies are some of the most powerful people on the planet, so yeah they have the law on their side. I think most people get that.

One edit:
But they also need to get a permit for their drilling/water extraction, and that comes from the government. So that's where we can stop this. It depends whether the Susquehanna River Basin Commission will revoke those permissions on June 7th.

[rbnyc]

4. good answer. nt.

[dkf]

5. I side with private property rights.

People also have the right to be obnoxious jerks with their property as long as it doesn't break any laws including zoning laws.

[limpyhobbler]

7. You support this action by the gas company to evict these people.

Just because they don't own property does not mean you should treat them like human garbage.

What they need is a change in the law or regulation to protect them.

The government has the power to step in and stop this.

Politicians love to talk about "putting people first" and "people over profits".

Here is the chance to stand up for people over corporate profits.

Let's watch the politicians now to see which side they choose.

[Riftaxe]

11. So the property you or I own

is up for a popular vote as to what to do?

You do realize where I am going...hint, open history book, read about subjugation of property.

[limpyhobbler]

13. What is your point?

The government passes laws all the time restricting what people can do with their property.

Also, corporations are NOT people my friend.

This fracking company doesn't have the same property rights as a human being, or at least it shouldn't.

Hint: you sound like a Ron Paul supporter.

[Riftaxe]

22. We could argue the requirement for the

legal fiction of corporate pershoon, but i suspect you are clueless about how it came about (it was not in the 20th or 21st century) and involves contract law.

While revocation of that fiction might abrograte you from your debts, it also via backhand allows corporations to slap you with the same level of abrogration.

[limpyhobbler]

25. Please do not ever speak to me again.

[limpyhobbler]

26. I'm putting you on ignore. Congradulations, my first one!

[meanit]

8. Was this area originally zoned as residential?

Did gas company money get the local authorities to change the zoning laws? Were residents made promises that were not kept and had the rug pulled out from under them?

There could be a lot of different things going on here than just some poor corporation being prevented from doing what they want with the land they "bought and paid for".

[gejohnston]

3. the difference is that

the residents own the buildings but not the land, so it becomes a matter of moving the mobile homes.

[dkf]

6. Yes that is also the danger of owning leasehold property which was very common here at one time

The best these people can do is sue to buy the land but if they don't have the means then this is moot.

This is what my parents had to deal with years ago as the land used to be owned by the Bishop Estate, which is the land formerly owned by a Hawaiian Princess.

Buying a leasehold property is risky and worse than a trailer as you can't move the house to another place. But the terms are set so at least people understand the time frames.

I would never ever buy leasehold property expecting my protests will allow me to stay. That is set up for failure.

[grilled onions]

9. The Pecking Order Syndrome

The lower down the financial pole the more likely it seems that your home will be in danger. Corporations love buying up the cheaper land parcels where the budget homes,smaller homes,mobile homes tend to be. You never hear of neighborhoods of the mansion style homes ever getting a group eviction. It's easy to pick on those who don't have connections,lawyers on speed dial or those that would make bad pr for a firm if THEIR home was being threatened.
Many of us seem to only "own" our homes,care for it until the city,state or big business finds a better use for it or the land.

[limpyhobbler]

10. Exactly so. But something tells me these people won't be leaving without a fight.

Either they will get to stay put, or the company is going to have to offer them a lot more money, a fair amount.

[Riftaxe]

12. That is why we have a legal system in place

it is ripe with all sort of things like rights, and laws...and if you don't like the result, we even have mechanisms in place to change them.

[limpyhobbler]

15. The residents and their friends are excercising the legal mechanisms as you suggest.

They are contacting the government "leaders" for help and protection from the fracking company.

So what is you point?

[Riftaxe]

21. "The government has the power to step in and stop this"

Who owns the property?

what you have stated is a red herring.

Giving you the benefit of doubt, your purpose is disinformation and not to inflame.

[limpyhobbler]

24. Why do you think it is ok for gas drillers to throw little kids and old people out in the street,

only for the benefit of corporate profits, and without any just compensation?

From where do they get the legal or moral right to do that?

Where do you expect those people to go?

[RebelOne]

14. This may be happening to me soon.

I live in a mobile home park and I heard that it was sold. The park behind my house evicted all the residents and now there is construction to build condos. There are about 100 homes here and I do not know how they will all be evicted. Many of the homes are quite large double wides. Mine is a single wide, but I have a garage attached. I have been told that the only compensation we will receive is $1,000.

[limpyhobbler]

16. It seems like the compensation should be more.

[Riftaxe]

19. see reply to #15

[Comrade_McKenzie]

17. Screw property rights. I, for one, am sick of landlords...

And the whole concept of land as a commodity, but that's another debate for another day.

A great man once said they always reap what they never sow.

I hope the tenants get what they are fighting for and set a legal precedent that restricts landlords from doing this kind of thing in the future.

[limpyhobbler]

18. This is not even a landlord, it's a fracking water extraction corporation.

It's a utility company.

This is what they look like:
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=WTR

They bought the trailer park planning to kick the people out. It's all about putting corporate profit first.

[Riftaxe]

20. Who owns the property again?

You are a bit elusive tonight.

[limpyhobbler]

23. Why don't you read up on it before spouting off?

A water extraction company owns the property.

Now would be a good time to buy stock in this company. They are very powerful right now.
They have the power to throw little kids out in the street and everything.

http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=WTR

[bonniebgood]

27. This article is missing a LOT of meaty

information. The first person it blames is The Democrats. The Obama Administration, MD Gov. O'malley, and NY Gov. Cuomo. I feel they should be all standing at their own Gov' office.
then What about the "job creators"? less regulations? These companies brings in jobs, jobs, jobs.
The free market must prevail.
With all the fracking, mountintop removal dust storms, gas contaminated drinking water, PA should NOT be a toss-up State.
I would like to see Where PA Gov stands first on this issue.

[limpyhobbler]

28. Utter Nonsense

This in no way blames the Democrats first. The Susquehanna River Basin Commission has 4 votes, one for each of the 3 governors and one for the federal which President Obama can control.

The PA governor is a Republican, he is in the pocket of the drillers. So why waste time calling him? At least with the Democrats you might be able to influence them.

Beyond that I don't understand what you are talking about.

[EnviroBat]

29. Holy Crap! Aqua America is my "new" water company.

They just took over the water service from Ohio American Water, (another crooked organization). God help me, I feel sick...