Paris, Texas -- The eyes of Texas are upon the Lamar County Courthouse Friday, February 17 where a judge in county court is hearing the case of Julia Trigg Crawford, a Lamar County landowner who obtained a restraining order against TransCanada in an attempt to protect her property from a pipeline that would carry crude oil from the Athabasca Oil Sands in northeastern Alberta, Canada to refineries along the Gulf Coast of Texas.
The eyes of the L.A. Times are also on this proceeding, as well as politicians in Washington who are wondering if the same grassroots movement that brought a screeching halt to the proposed TransTexas Corridor is now forming to protect landowners from another massive project where eminent domain is used to assist a foreign company.
Crawford manages a 600-acre farm that has been family land since 1948 where she raises cattle and produces wheat, corn and soybeans. Her biggest concern is for water wells on the family farm and water rights to Bois d'Arc Creek which supports 330 acres of pivot irrigation for her crops. The Crawford property is laden with Caddoan Indian artifacts which also would be at risk.
Julia Trigg Crawford addresses fellow landowners and others protesting the TransCanada pipeline. Standing behind Crawford is former state representative Pete Patterson who, like Crawford, is a lifelong farmer.
"The Crawford family is grateful that so many of you proud Texans came to stand in solidarity with us today," Ms. Crawford told supporters standing on the steps of the Lamar County Courthouse moments before her showdown with TransCanada. "Together we stood for private property rights, for the protection of indigenous artifacts, and for the preservation of our water sources."
Standing beside Crawford was former state representative Pete Patterson.
"He was the first man at the courthouse this morning," Crawford said of Patterson, a 22-year veteran of the state legislature.
Julia Trigg Crawford and Pete Patterson
Rita Beving addresses the crowd in front of Lamar County Courthouse
