Paul Knopp cannot understand why a Hocking County judge would rule against his own people.

Early this month, Hocking County Common Pleas Judge Thomas Gerken ruled in favor of the Findlay-based Marathon-Ashland Oil Company, allowing it to build a cross-county pipeline through Hocking County and several environmentally valuable areas.

"It seems terrible to me that they're allowed to come in and take property from the people. The land belongs to us, not the pipeline people," said Knopp, a retired environmental educator who is opposed to the project.

MAOC's $49 million project will cross Crane Hollow State Nature Reserves, the Hocking Hills State Forest, Camp Otyokwa and other privately- and state-owned properties. It will run 130 miles, starting in Columbus, and cross seven counties including Franklin, Pickaway, Fairfield, Hocking, Vinton, Jackson and Lawrence counties.

The pipeline, which has been under construction since last spring, will carry about 80,000 gallons of petroleum products, including gasoline, diesel fuel and kerosine, into the Southeast Ohio area.

Knopp, who testified in the Crane Hollow vs. Marathon Ashland Pipeline case, said he and other Hocking County residents are concerned the pipeline will negatively impact the area's scenic value, wildlife and endangered plant life.

In some counties, MAOC will build a new petroleum line, but in Hocking County, the existing natural gas line will be expanded to carry oil.

However, Knopp said the expansion project still will hurt the environment.

MAOC will have to dig a 100-foot ditch over the existing line and across the county to upgrade it into a petroleum line, he said.

"It's like a superhighway through the county," Knopp said.

Logan resident Jeff Knopp, who testified as an expert witness for tree farming in the Crane Hollow case, said his neighborhood is littered with "Stop the Pipeline" signs.

He said he and the majority of people in the Logan area are opposed to the pipeline construction.

However, Dave Schirner, director of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Association in Columbus and spokesperson for the association's Camp Otyokwa in Logan, said he does not believe the pipeline will affect the camp's operation.

"It's just something not natural," he said.

Once constructed, the MAOC pipeline will cross a mile of the camp's property, which is located two miles south of Old Man's Cave. MAOC knocked down trees and dismantled a bat habitat on the property last spring.

Schirner said it is a too early to determine what the impacts of the pipeline will be. However, the company has agreed to a cooperative agreement, he said.

"We want to work with them for a win-win situation," Schirner said.

Chuck Rice, communications manager for MAOC, said the company decided to build the pipeline initially because of the recent population growth in central Ohio.

The new line will allow MAOC to provide more heating fuels and gasoline products to people in this area, he said.

Rice said MAOC has received permission from about 85 of the property owners who will be affected by the pipeline. Moreover, the property owners involved will be able to retain ownership of their properties.

"They will dig a four foot deep ditch. All you'd have to agree to is not building things on top of it, but you can still grow grass and farmers can still grow crops." Rice said.

"In return for their land, MAOC will compensate the farmers," he said. "If they lose crops, the company promises to pay for 100 percent of their loss this year, and 50 percent for the next two years."

Despite the large number of people who have consented to the project in other counties, Paul Knopp said he, Crane Hollow, Inc., and tree farm owners Thomas B. Amerine and Michael Daniels, plan to pursue their case in an Athens County Appellate Court.

"A judge in Athens might be more partial to natural lands." Paul Knopp said.

Right now, Jeff Knopp said MAOC has postponed the project in Hocking County until a final legal decision is made in the Athens County court.

"As long as it's in court, they can't do anything," said Paul Knopp.

Meanwhile a group of Fairfield County residents have banded together to oppose the pipeline through their county.

Unlike Hocking County, Jeff Knopp said the Fairfield County pipeline will require an eminent domain approval from city and county officials because the area does not have an existing line.

"Hocking and Fairfield counties have had a pocket of resistance," Rice said. "There is some litigation pending Marathon Ashland Petroleum. (But) we maintain we can exercise the right of eminent domain according to the constitution."

In addition, Jim Lynch, an employee of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, said several environmentally valuable areas outside Hocking and Fairfield counties also will be affected. These areas include the Richland Furnace State Forest, the Mackey Ford and the Wildlife Foundation.

"We'll work with Marathon Oil to make sure our environmental concerns are addressed," Lynch said.