Iowa Gov. Branstad (R) Backs Eminent Domain For Pipelines

http://whotv.com ^ | 10:16pm, November 2, 2015 | Aaron Brilbeck

[Trumpinator]

Governor Backs Eminent Domain For Pipelines

Posted 10:11 pm, November 2, 2015, by Aaron Brilbeck,

Updated at 10:16pm, November 2, 2015

DES MOINES, Iowa -- This week, the Iowa Utilities Board will discuss whether to use eminent domain to seize property from landowners to use for a massive oil pipeline.

Dakota Access, LLC wants to use the land for an underground pipeline that would carry roughly a half million barrels of crude oil from North Dakota, through Iowa and to a distribution center in Illinois. Governor Branstad says he believes eminent domain can and should be used for some pipeline projects.

"I don't think that we should say a blanket statement that eminent domain should never be used," Branstad said. "But I also believe that the law that is in place that gives the utilities board the responsibility to do it is appropriate."

[Rodamala]

Um, no. We have a right to contract (or not), regardless of what SCOTUS says.

[Angels27]

So what? Just another “Republican” selling his soul to big government.

[cripplecreek]

I think this would fall under legitimate ED use by virtue of the pipeline being vital infrastructure. We're not talking about hotels, supermarkets or casinos.

From what I've seen locally, putting a pipeline in is usually a temporary disruption. A pipeline crossed a farm about a mile from me and the pipeline itself is 8 feet deep and the farmer has returned to farming right over the top of it.

In his case they did lease some of his land for some permanent infrastructure but the contract keeps the rent comparable to the changing value of the land. He just farms around the infrastructure.

[Conscience of a Conservative]

I think this would fall under legitimate ED use by virtue of the pipeline being vital infrastructure. We're not talking about hotels, supermarkets or casinos.

Yup. Vital infrastructure = public use.

[NEPA]

Legit use of ED

[SunkenCiv]

/bingo

[elpadre]

eminent domain or a contractual easement or no gas line. That’s the long and the short of it.

[GOPJ]

Without Eminent Domain the United States wouldn’t have an interstate system...

[BobL]

OH MY GOD!!!

A governor that supports the 5th Amendment. Hopefully he gets purged.

[VanShuyten]

I don’t know why they’re hassling him over this one pipeline. Anybody who has seen a pipeline map of Iowa wouldn’t even think twice about adding one more.