A deceased woman’s estate is suing TransCanada, a subcontractor for the Keystone Pipeline project, for alleged fraud and negligence in a dispute surrounding some Illinois farmland.
The estate of Louise Downen, through her power of attorney Timothy J. Downen, filed a lawsuit on Sept. 29 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against TransCanada, Sheehan Pipeline, N&W Horizontal Boring and ERB Equipment Co.
According to the complaint, by March 1, 2009, the parties had agreed to allow the pipeline’s installation on the plaintiff’s land. After the pipeline was installed, TransCanada and its co-defendants allegedly failed to properly replace topsoil and otherwise remediate the land as required by the Illinois Commerce Commission, the suit states. As a result, the land allegedly yields fewer crops, is subject to erosion and is otherwise damaged for farming.
The plaintiff seeks compensation of more than $50,000 plus litigation costs. It is represented by attorney Grey Chatham Jr. of Chatham and Baricevic of Belleville.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 15-L-558.