It's never wrong to stand up for individual rights

The Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority, and its predecessors, have been trying for decades to build a water pipeline from Ute Lake to the Clovis-Portales area.

Millions of dollars have already been spent, millions more are needed, construction is underway in some areas and will be getting started soon in others.

Pipeline proponents are determined nothing will stop them. That includes residents of Quay County whose livelihoods depend on the water levels at Ute Lake and it includes any individuals whose properties are needed to build the thing.

They’re working for the “greater good,” we’ve heard a hundred times.

In other words, the government is here to help, and if you don’t like it there will be pressure applied.

The latest individual to feel the power of big government is Clovis’ Phil Chavez, who owns property along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard on Clovis’ west side.

The water authority needs a portion of Chavez’ land about 880 feet long and 85 feet deep as part of the pipeline that would connect Clovis to Cannon Air Force Base.

The land is appraised at $8,000, which ENMWUA officials say they will happily pay Chavez. And all they want to do is bury a 33-inch steel pipeline.

They say the transaction will not prevent Chavez from doing anything else with his property. Once the pipeline’s buried, he won’t even know it’s there, they contend.

Dozens of other property owners have already agreed to similar arrangements and officials say they’re not anticipating any problems with any other landowners. (Not since they beat down the Quay County dissenters in court, anyway.)

But Chavez won’t agree to the government’s terms. And so last month, the water authority took legal steps toward acquiring his property by eminent domain. That’s when government takes private property for public use because it can.

Chavez has not been clear about why he doesn’t want to sell.

Does he want more money?

Does he not trust government assurances that the pipeline won’t impact his property in the future?

Maybe he objects to the concept of government sending water where government wants it to go?

One reason water authority officials are so frustrated with Chavez is they say he won’t communicate his concerns.

But here’s the bottom line:

It doesn’t matter why Phillip Chavez doesn’t want to play.

It’s his property. It’s his choice how it’s used.

Besides, there are other ways for the water authority to achieve its mission. Sure it will cost more. But since when has anybody associated with the pipeline project worried about cost?

When you’re talking about a couple of gazillion dollars, what difference does a few tens of thousands make?

We know Phillip Chavez is probably not going to win this fight. Even if ...

• there are serious ethical issues about who has the right to take the water from Ute Lake;

• there’s no guarantee life as we know it can be sustained by the planned pipeline anyway;

• the money still controlled by the federal government dries up before the project can be completed.

Government’s declaration of “the greater good” almost always trumps individual liberty, even in a free society.

But it’s never wrong to fight for what you believe in.

We have no idea what Chavez believes in since he chooses not to tell us.

But we support his right to fight.

Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the Clovis Media Inc.’s editorial board, which consists of Publisher Rob Langrell and Editor David Stevens.