|
For months I've been dealing with a state official who has been blocking my efforts to rebuild a 69kV transmission line across an insignificant bit of Nevada desert. I have in my hot little hands a map from 1943 that clearly shows our right-of-way (ROW). Our line crosses a state highway, and their policy is to collect a $600 fee and dictate terms to anyone who elects to build across the road. I've tried repeatedly to point out to this gentleman that our line predates the road by quite a piece - 50 years, actually - and therefore takes precedence. I haven't yet mentioned that, in fairness, we should have collected an encroachment fee from his office to allow their little road, but I decided that way madness lies.
Trying to make sense of the data systems in use by the federal Bureau of Land Management and Nevada Department of Transportation is a nightmare I've been fighting for a couple of years, but tonight I finally got the brass ring. I found the history files for the parcel of land in question at BLM - not the whole thing, as that can only be found by driving to the Las Vegas office and manually sorting through the paper files - but the index of official acts from the 1800s to date. Specifically, I found the first entry applying for a permanent ROW for our power line dated 1942 and approved in 1943. I next located the State of Nevada application dated 1946 and denied in 1947 and 1948, then finally granted in 1950. Bite this, Bureaucrat! 
I even sent this guy an aerial picture of our line where it now crosses the highway that didn't exist 20 years ago, and he still claimed that this proved nothing. He, apparently, worked on the highway project when he was a kid, and is certain that it just widened the existing two-lane road, yet the photos and USGS topographical maps clearly show the road a mile or two to the north of its current location.
I know it's a tiny victory, but after years of trying to get this simple little project done despite the deliberate interference of petty officials sucking from the public teat, it's nice to finally enjoy a decisive victory. Of course, that assumes he's bright enough to recognize the facts when presented with paper copies of the official documents... 
He is a rather nice fellow, so I'm hoping he'll accept defeat gracefully. 
Will Rogers never met me.
|
|
|
|
|
Congratulations Roger. Victory over bureaucrats are sweet, but you haven't got the line built yet. Never underestimate the power of red tape, emotions, and ignorance.
Roger Wright wrote: He is a rather nice fellow, so I'm hoping he'll accept defeat gracefully.
So that means you'll only gloat here - and hope he doesn't check the Lounge!
CQ de W5ALT
Walt Fair, Jr., P. E.
Comport Computing
Specializing in Technical Engineering Software
|
|
|
|
|
Walt Fair, Jr. wrote: hope he doesn't check the Lounge!
Nah... Even people who know I hang out here never find their way into our lair.
Will Rogers never met me.
|
|
|
|
|
I would have thought that there was a way to remove a petty roadblocker, obviously I have exactly zero experience with officialdom, escalating the problem till someone sees sense. How can it be allowed to delay public infrastructure for 2 YEARS and still retain a position!
You are assuming he just does not flatly refuse access on the grounds that he can!
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity
RAH
|
|
|
|
|
Did you consider getting him to dig through history in a vain hope he'll prove his case? There is a subtle bite/sting in letting him finding his own error and admitting it.
|
|
|
|
|
Never works.
He is a bureaucrat: his position is "I am right - prove me wrong and we'll discuss it then" - "discuss it" normally meaning "I'll know which bits of evidence to bury to prove I was right all along"
They do not admit error - that is a cardinal sin in paper-chasing world which can hold back your career.
If you get an email telling you that you can catch Swine Flu from tinned pork then just delete it. It's Spam.
|
|
|
|
|
Looking at the post title, I thought you were almost close to getting your lost belongings. 
"Real men drive manual transmission" - Rajesh.
|
|
|
|
|
Did you get that package you were waiting for?
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
|
|
|
|
|
I did, indeed! Didn't you get the email I sent yesterday? If not, that's not a good thing - they're watching our emails!
Will Rogers never met me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nope. I think they'd just show up at my house instead of collecting emails. Afterall, according to Obama, they don't need evidence, and I wouldn't need a trial.
".45 ACP - because shooting twice is just silly" - JSOP, 2010
-----
You can never have too much ammo - unless you're swimming, or on fire. - JSOP, 2010
-----
"Why don't you tie a kerosene-soaked rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up and eat your candy ass." - Dale Earnhardt, 1997
|
|
|
|
|
You just pulled off some Indiana Jones / Da Vinci Code research. Did you ever buy that land you were looking at? I'm looking at some acreage myself for camping initially, and eventually building a vacation house.
|
|
|
|
|
wizardzz wrote: Did you ever buy that land you were looking at?
No, I didn't. A lot went wrong, primarily the friend who told me about it being mistaken. There was only one parcel available, not dozens, and the agent wasn't interested in terms. Whether she presented my offer to the seller - as legally required - I have no way of knowing, but she never bothered to call me back after a couple of messages left.
Will Rogers never met me.
|
|
|
|
|
General 
News 
Suggestion 
Question 
Bug 
Answer 
Joke 
Praise 
Rant 
Admin 
Submit an article or tip
