U.S Landowner turns to YouTube to fight multi-state pipeline

Landowner turns to YouTube to fight multi-state pipeline

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Jan 17, 2007 01:48 AM

Joe Rust

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Jennie Runevitch/Eyewitness Newshttp://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=5947894&nav=9Tai
Greensburg - An Indiana landowner is taking his protest over a proposed pipeline to the internet. The line would cut through eight Indiana counties as well as his property. The Rockies Express (REX) Pipeline would send natural gas from Colorado through Indiana and into Ohio, stretching some 1,600 miles across the country.
Decatur County landowner Joe Rust took his fight to YouTube. Home to countless high school football, pet and baby videos, it is now a home to protest the proposed natural gas pipeline through Indiana.
The ten-minute clip, created by Rust, is an unlikely pairing of modern media with an area devoid of technology.
"It's private, quite, beautiful," he said of his property.
Rust can't even use a cell phone out here. He certainly hadn't heard of YouTube.
"I had never gone to the website or anything. I knew nothing about it. I'm from the old days you know," he said with a laugh.
But at his son-in-law's suggestion, and fueled by the controversial 43-inch pipeline that could come feet from his front door, Rust made a movie and posted it online.
"It turned out to be a pretty decent video, too," said Rust.
"Federal government is turning over rights to use the power of eminent domain to a private company for profit," he said in the video. "Pine trees we planted when my kids were infants would all disappear, and for no reason other than there's a company who wants to make a lot of money selling gas."
The video also draws attention to a REX pipeline explosion in Wyoming on the day the video was shot in November.
Rust turned to YouTube in hopes of raising awareness about the pipeline project. After just a month, more than 600 people viewed his post.
"I've had many people call and say we've seen the video and never realized the project's going on," he said.
Thanks to modern technology, now they do.
"Gotta roll with the times you know," said Rust.
You tube came at the right price for Rust. It was a free way to spread his message. He says he'll leave the video up as the REX fight continues. Landowners meet again with pipeline representatives at the end of the month.Watch Rust's YouTube video